Protea Glen taxi prices increased by no more than R3
SANTACO announced that the price hike was not influenced by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Local taxi prices from Protea Glen have increased following a prior announcement by the chairperson for the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) Johannes Mkhonza about the expected increase.
The price hike was not influenced by the COVID-19 Pandemic, instead, annually around these times, SANTACO announces the price hike.
Some commuters from Protea have accepted the price due to not having alternative transport. One resident Philip Radebe explained, “Even though the hike may dent my finances a bit, I have no any other alternative.
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“Using Uber is more expensive as a pensioner, we have no other choice but to accept the price hike.”
Taxi driver Siyabonga Ngubane who was on duty when the prices increased was happy that the price was not too steep for the commuters.
Taxis traveling from Protea Glen to Bara taxi rank and town have increased by no more than R3, Mariot Dlamini said, “We have to add the coins even in our budgets because we have no any other alternatives, the trains are not functioning and whenever they are they are not reliable.
“We need the taxis and the price hike is not that unreasonable.”
Dlamini usually takes a cab from Protea to town where he works, he said, “There aren’t any alternatives against taxis for most people like us.”
The price hike in Soweto became effective just a few days after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that local taxis can load up to full capacity while long-distance taxis can only load up to 70%.
The minister for the Gauteng Department of Health Zwelisha Mkhize explained that there is a degree in which windows need to be opened to create a flow and ventilation in the taxi that will allow the droplets to move out the taxi if there would be any.
Radebe said, “These are terrible times indeed, just when we are not getting more incomes, we have to pay more for taxis, and in our community, taxis are essential.”
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