Taxi operators defy capacity regulations
MBOMBELA - The Mbombela City Centre was rocked by protests on Monday after taxi operators defied a national directive from the Ministry of Transport.
Their decision followed a call by the South African National Taxi Association (Santaco) that all taxis be loaded to capacity. This flies in the face of measures to enforce social distancing in public transport in a bid to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.
Additionally, Santaco resolved that long-distance operators would continue working without permits, in contravention of the pandemic regulations.
The South African minister of transport, Fikile Mbalula, denounced this course of action and said, “We condemn in the strongest possible terms any call encouraging taxi operators to violate provisions of the law and promote lawlessness.
“We remain committed to taking forward our engagements and encourage the industry that any form of protest it embarks on, is within the parameters of the law.”
On Monday, Mbalula asserted that he maintained a grip on the taxi industry and that lawlessness would not be tolerated. The minister commiserated with the financial difficulties facing the industry and said, “That is why we introduced a taxi relief fund.”
He cited that the industry was not formalised which hampered its ability to enjoy governmental benefits provided to more formalised industries.
Mbalula conceded, however, that the industry played a significant role in the economy and added that plans were afoot to formalise the industry so that it may enjoy the same benefits extended to other industries.
He added that violating the law would set the taxi industry at odds with government.
“In that instance, the law will have to maintained. You are daring the law. There is no need to do that.”
The minister said that the issue could be resolved without bringing South Africa to its knees and that the proposal for 100 per cent capacity for taxis was being considered by the National Coronavirus Command
Council.
Mbalula appeared to extend an olive branch to Santaco president, Phillip Taaibosch, and extended an invitation that Taaibosch contact him to discuss the issues. Local taxi operator, Thokozane Zulu, said the minister was being “irrational” in his refusal to hear them out.
“Mbalula promised us a sum of R5 000 for each taxi to compensate us for the losses that we incurred as we can carry only 70 per cent capacity, but we have not received anything yet.
“We are losing money and cannot pay our monthly car instalments. I have not been able to pay for my taxi for the past two months. The car dealerships have not granted us any payment holidays, so it is really stressing us out. That is why we have decided to carry 100 per cent capacity,” he said.
Police blockaded a number of roads in Valencia, KaNyamazane, Pienaar, Lekazi and KaMagugu on Monday morning, which resulted in chaos erupting at the Mbombela Taxi Rank.
The SAPS deployed at the rank fired rubber bullets at taxi operators who burned tyres at the rank entrance in Henshall Street, in a bid to deny police access to it.
Business owners, fearing for their safety, locked up shop and two trucks, at the intersection of Currie and Bester streets, hampered the flow of traffic towards Valencia.
Mbombela police spokesperson, Capt Zandile Gqawa, reported that police monitored the situation, adding that no injuries were reported.
As the protest raged on, the Mbombela Fire Department extinguished the fires ignited by the protesters.
An uneasy calm descended on the CBD and at the close of business, the situation returned to normal.
In the aftermath of Monday’s protests, taxi operators continued loading their vehicles to full capacity, with a number of commuters expressing their concerns.
Thobile Mlangeni, who travels from Msholozi daily, said taxis were overloaded, especially when commuters returned home after work.
“In the taxi in which I travelled yesterday, there were a few passengers who were standing as a result of overloading. Commuters were not sanitised, which is a worrying factor in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.
Masabatha Mnyambo, who commutes from KaBokweni to Mbombela every day, said her greatest concerns were noncompliance with social distancing and the unavailability of sanitisers, especially after handling change in the taxis.
Another commuter, Duduzile Mtetwa, makes her way from Matsulu to Mbombela daily. She expressed alarm over the quality of sanitising liquids offered to commuters.
“To me, it appears to be a mixture of spirits and vinegar and I doubt that this is effective in curbing the spread of the coronavirus,” she said.
Malambula Sibanyoni, Mpumalanga Santaco chairperson, said there were no issues to report on Tuesday after a resolution had been reached between protesting taxi operators and the police.
“We plead with commuters to meet us halfway. Understand that we have had no income for the past three months, which has placed us in the difficult position of being unable to provide hand sanitiser and face masks.
“When boarding a taxi, please bring your own hand sanitiser and wear a face mask to help prevent the spread of Covid-19,” said Sibanyoni.
A visit to the Mbombela Taxi Rank on Tuesday revealed that the taxis were operating. Queue marshals provided hand sanitiser and checked the commuters’ body temperatures.
The proposal for 100 per cent capacity for taxis was being considered by the National Coronavirus Command Council