Taxi groups urge licence fee caution

TAXI associations and rights groups have warned the Western Cape government to be sensible when increasing vehicle licence fees as motorists are feeling the pinch of the weak economy.

Transport and Public Works MEC Donald Grant proposed a 4.5% increase and said draft regulations were now open for public comment until Monday, January 15.

But taxi associations are not happy with the increase as the price of fuel has hit their pockets hard. Andile Kanyi, the secretary of the Congress for Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta), said such an increase would hit their profits hard.

“We cannot every year push up our taxi fares, because the people we serve are the poorest of the poor. The price of petrol is already hitting us hard, and added to that our vehicles need to be maintained, and these costs are rising all the time. There are normal (non-taxi) motorists who are already struggling with the fees. I just hope that sense will prevail,” he said.

Motorists face paying between R282 and R696 for vehicles with tare of between 250kg and 2 000kg. Those whose vehicles weighing between 2 001kg and 4 000kg would have to pay between R948 and R2 304. Licence fees for vehicles with tare of between 4001kg and 7 000kg will be between R2 538 and R8 292.

The highest fee is R22 302 for vehicles with a tare of between 11 501kg and 12 000kg. For each additional 500kg or part thereof above 12 000kg, a levy of R2 256 will be charged.

The government said the province relied on vehicle licence fees to build, upgrade and maintain provincially owned roads; to help municipalities fund the maintenance of their more strategic roads; and to continue reducing the maintenance backlog.

Siphesihle Dube, Grant’s spokesperson, said stakeholders could submit their comments to michael.gallant@westerncape.gov.za; or by fax to: 021 483 7103.