Deceptive taxi politics hoodwink all
ARE WE becoming even more complacent about are leadership in this country? Whether we are talking about crime stats or another questionable tender, it seems we only want to fight, question or cry foul long after the fact.
I have been extremely vocal about the minibus taxi industry and its potential to successfully establish itself as a compatible public transport partner.
I’ve attempted to engage government, minibus taxi leadership and the private sector to recognise the positive impact the minibus taxi industry could have on the transport strategy for Cape Town. But who is listening?
The time has come for us to champion the ideals of an integrated transport strategy that not only recognises the benefit of the minibus taxi industry as a very capable partner, but also serves as a conduit for job creation, a resource in alleviating road congestion and one which is a catalyst to building a formidable public transport infrastructure that can support the growing needs of any city.
We don’t need the government to be successful – the industry needs a unified approach to a commercial agenda.
You may wave your finger disapprovingly at the taxi industry, but you need to understand that as early as 1996 there was a plan, approved by the government, to address taxi regulation and address the economic integration of the taxi industry to benefit all participants and underprivileged communities.
This plan, approved by the cabinet, was the precursor for a very sophisticated and well-documented change in the taxi industry. What you as Joe Citizen need to ask, is why it never happened.
Your complaints about the taxi industry, be it metered cab or minibus taxi, are the outcome of the government’s avoidance of any issues on the subject of “taxi”. The taxi industry brought you the findings of the national taxi task team as early as 1996, and its recommendations were approved.
The government ignored the 1996 recommendations and instead brought you the National Land Transport Act in 2009. And now you find yourselves in a scenario where your legislation is unenforceable and public transport is ring-fenced to a few ill-prepared parastatals and misguided projects of government.
The plan to position minibus taxis as a formidable and sophisticated public transport operator was given a wide berth by the government, so that they could bring you the NLTA (2009), Metrorail and the billions spent on oversized trains, MyCiti Rapid Bus Transport and the billions spent to ensure every kilometre they drive is a loss to the taxpayer.
Let’s not forget that gem the SAA and the hundreds of billions paid to keep it afloat.
It really makes you wonder why they thought of a taxi industry solution, owned and operated by taxi industry participants, that did not appeal to the government.
It should not be too difficult to realise the enormity of private enterprise and the impact of the taxi industry on all platforms of business in South Africa.
The government not having control and access would have seen the transport strategy in this country reach new heights (without them), hence it was never meant to be.
You can thank the NLTA (2009) for the armchair response from the government. The very laws that govern unruly taxis and dissatisfaction within the industry are the same laws that dictate how they should operate, however ineffective it may be. When it all blows up, the finger is pointed at the taxi industry.
Your government does not have the capacity nor the tools to enforce the NLTA (2009) and that’s a fact. You can blame the unlicensed minibus taxi driver and you can blame the metered taxi driver who is attempting to defend his turf, but at the end of the day, you have to look at the rule book and the utterly poor management of the legislation, that unequivocally is impossible to enforce.
Look around, the truth is laid bare in the papers every day, whether it’s schoolchildren in another tragic accident because of vehicle overloading, another injured commuter caught in the crossfire, or whether it’s Jack Parow ringing the alarm bells about a lack of discipline in the metered taxi industry.
Sorry Jack, I’m on your side, but what do you do when your government rolls out the red carpet for Uber operators (licensed or not), and tells registered metered taxis to step-aside because they have no value. What kind of environment has your government created?
Enough is enough. Citizens must stop allowing themselves to be hoodwinked.
There is deceptive and divisive politicking happening all around you and you have to be vigilant enough to speak up and not allow your leaders to mismanage your city or your country.
If the taxi operators on the ground are not content with the relationship between your Department of Transport and a handful of taxi industry leaders, then why are you as citizens of this city and this province so complacent in accepting “mediation” as a solution?
I submitted my thoughts and notes to the Competition Commission’s inquiry into public transport and I also sent my submission to the City of Cape Town, when it requested comments.
The City of Cape Town is reviewing its Municipal Spatial Development Framework (MSDF) and its Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan (CITP) for the period 2017-2022.
But what did you do? The City, the province and even the national call for comments on our public transport strategy may all dismiss my suggestions and reject my comments, but I’ve chosen to do something. Can you say the same?
Nagel is a taxi transformation catalyst.