Dorljota members gather for AGM

The Dobsonville Roodepoort Leratong Johannesburg Taxi Association (Dorljota) members gathered at the Roodepoort Town Hall on 21 August for their annual general meeting (AGM).

With the chairperson’s report, the secretariat report and the financial report being tabled at the meeting, various points of interest came to the fore.

Most speakers paid their respects to the late chairperson Vusi Shabangu who was gunned down earlier this year.

With the hundreds of taxi owners in attendance it was reassuring to hear chairperson Peter Mabe getting serious about the subject of discipline. Some of the challenges that Mabe highlighted were drivers behaving as if they own the taxis, their disrespect to commuters, and drivers operating taxis while intoxicated. Mabe also admitted that the concept of customer care is seldom understood. Membership, permits and hijackings are also challenges Dorljota faces.

Mabe says Metrobus, Putco and Gauteng Coaches are growing at the expense of the taxi association.

Some of the achievements in the past year include three Dorljota properties being fully paid up, the association’s sponsorship of three top achievers in the 2013 matric results and the acquisition of a Dorljota fuel depot next to Rank Five. This depot should be operating by the end of September.

The Secretariat Report contains the following interesting facts. The Disciplinary Committee dealt with 338 cases this past year, which include 225 for overloading, 10 for drivers not reporting to the point at ranks, 30 cases of conflict between drivers, 23 cases of conflict between drivers and passengers, and 11 cases of conflict between drivers and monitors.

30 warnings were issued this past year and nine are pending. Of the 110 grievances reported to the Grievance Department 100 were resolved.

On a sadder note 55 of the association’s taxis were involved in accidents and 28 owners and 19 drivers passed away.

Currently the membership of the association stands at 1 500 of whom 1 209 are active members and 291are non-active members. Dorljota has an astounding 2 914 taxis operating from eight ranks.

Some of the social responsibility projects the association has taken upon itself include transporting family members who can not afford funerals for their loved ones and contributing towards building material for rebuilding a house that burnt down in Thulani.

The association showed a gross profit of just over R11,5 million. Total expenses amounted to over R9,3 million, which left them with a profit for the year of a tad over R2,2 million. The association also owns assets of over R9 million.

According to public relations officer Zeblon Simelane, Dorljota also demands that taxis display two telephone numbers on their stickers that motorists or passengers can phone to report problems with drivers. This initiative was implemented almost a year ago and the public is encouraged to make use of it.