The Gauteng Departments of Community Safety and Roads and Transport will host a Provincial Taxi Summit next week, on 21 and 22 June.
The aim of the summit is to address road safety concerns, taxi regulation and the economic empowerment of the broader taxi industry.
The taxi indaba will take the form of a public meeting with minibus-taxi operators, followed by a more intensive workshop with the provincial and regional leadership of the taxi associations to address matters of mutual interest.
MEC for Community Safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, and MEC for Roads and Transport, Ismail Vadi, both emphasised the Gauteng Provincial Government’s belief that a bold, forward-looking and constructive approach is needed to resolve issues affecting the taxi industry.
“We should not be grievance-driven and reactive in our approach. We must be bold and solution-oriented. We should lay the groundwork for change and transformation in the taxi industry in our province,” they said in a joint statement.
Earlier this month, Nkosi-Malobane and Vadi held a meeting with the leadership of some of the taxi associations and identified an eight-point plan that will serve as the basis of future engagements with the taxi industry.
At the same time, Nkosi-Malobane said that Operation Ke Molao will continue in so far as it relates to taxi drivers driving recklessly, or under the influence of alcohol and drugs, not wearing seat belts, and driving on the pavements or against on-coming traffic. “For these traffic violations, law enforcement is non-negotiable and Operation Ke Molao will continue, but a grace period has been given to operators to fix their vehicles and pay outstanding traffic fines,” she said.
The new plan relates to:
• The issuing of replacement licenses for 22-seater vehicles;
• Fast-tracking of long-standing licensing applications that meet compliance requirements;
• Processing of new Operating License applications that are on hold or pending in different regions and that are based on Integrated Transport Plans of municipalities;
•Renewal of motor vehicle license discs and payment of outstanding motor vehicle license fees by selected taxi operators;
•Promoting roadworthiness of minibus taxis and scholar transport vehicles;
•Supporting the road safety campaign led by the Department of Community Safety and promoting more responsible taxi driver behaviour on roads;
•Addressing the unacceptable forms of violent conflict within the taxi industry; and
•Promoting meaningful economic empowerment programmes within the taxi industry linked to broader transport value-chain across different regions through formally registered corporate entities.
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