Covid-19: Transport minister issues new regulations for taxi industry during lockdown

The Department of Transport initially implemented stringent measures on public transport during the 21-day lockdown to stop the increase of Covid-19 cases in South Africa.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula addressed the media on 1 April at Noord Taxi Rank in Johannesburg on the new agreement they have made with the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco).

Measures for public transport initially included that minibus taxis and e-hailing services operate only from 5am to 9am and again from 4pm to 8pm, but these operating times have changed to 5am to 10am and from 4pm to 9pm in the afternoon, however, Mbalulu stressed that they do not expect taxis to be operating outside of those times.

The department amended the operating hours from 5am to 8pm this week to assist pensioners to get their Sassa grants this week.

In the previously implemented measures, minibus taxis could only transport seven passengers and e-hailing services could carry one passenger only. Each trip still has to be sanitised and taxi ranks are to be sanitised at regular intervals.

Every passenger must have their hands sanitised and, if the taxi is full, the passengers will be provided with masks.

https://twitter.com/SA_Taxis/status/1245321130300358657

This was met with disagreement from trade union Santaco which said the seven-passenger rule was going to be a financial loss, including not having a discussion of subsidies, as the taxi industry threatened a shutdown. The taxi strike was adverted during discussions with key stakeholders on 31 March. Mbalula said more discussions will be held going forward.

During the media briefing, Mbalula commended the taxi industry after they reached an agreement and said the rule of law must be followed.

New measures:

• Licensed minibus allowed to carry 10 passengers is limited to transport a maximum of seven passengers
• Licensed minibus allowed to carry 15 passengers, limited to a maximum of 10 passengers
• Midibus licensed to carry 22 passengers, limited to a maximum 15 passengers
• E-hail motor vehicle (four-seater), must transport 50 per cent of passengers.

He added, “It doesn’t mean after 21 days that things will be back to normal, it is an effort to decrease the numbers of Covid-19, and we will go from there.”

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