Santaco puts safety of its commuters first – installs cams in taxis
THE South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) in Kwazulu-natal has installed CCTV cameras in North and South Beach minibus-taxis in Durban.
In a brief statement on the association’s Facebook page, it said the cameras were installed after having received multiple complaints from passengers that they felt unsafe while using the taxis. The association held a meeting with residents and commuters on Sunday to discuss the challenges they were experiencing.
Santanco has made efforts to increase passenger and driver safety by installing these security cameras inside and outside the taxis.
Over the weekend, the North and South Beach and minibus taxi association installed cameras in 70 taxis, with the balance expected to be fitted with cameras by next month. A team will be assigned to monitor the safety and well-being of passengers. December is usually a busy period and that is when the crime wave is usually high, the association stated on Facebook.
Businessman Siyanda Ntenga said the cameras enabled taxi owners/managers to monitor via an app what was happening in the taxi, in real time, as well as the behaviour of the drivers and their driving patterns. Owners can communicate with passengers through the app, and more.
“Owners can even stop their taxis remotely if they detect a problem,” Ntenga said.
On social media, including Facebook, commuters welcomed the installation of the cameras. Sabelo Nkosi said he was once mugged when he took a taxi from Gillespie Street (South Beach) to the Ushaka Marine stop. Nkosi wished this initiative had been implemented earlier. Nkosi said he got into the taxi but realised it was full, with men only, and that this alarmed him.
“When I told them where I was getting off, that was when they started moving, I noticed that I was the only passenger and I was about to be mugged. They saw I was outnumbered and they demanded I give them my phone, wallet, my chains and my shoes,” he said
Sinothile Manyanda Mdlalose said: “Big ups to the associations for putting the safety of commuters first.”
Freeman Sibonelo Eric Biyela said: “Great stance, as we have our mothers, partners and our sisters in there. Better care leads to more clients and recommendations.”