Taxi industry needs more stringent regulation
Minibus taxis, love them or loathe them, are here to stay unless there is a shift of biblical magnitude in our transport system from townships to places of work, school or shopping.
Created by the social system of apartheid, the taxi industry has fashioned itself into an industry whose turnover as an entity is probably equivalent to the GDP of Zimbabwe, possibly even higher given the precarious state of that country’s economy.
This strength has been evident in the manner in which our minister of everything, but master of nothing, Fikile Mbalula, has been manipulated by the organisation.
The threat of a full-on taxi strike strikes an uncomfortable fear into government as it does not have a viable alternative to turn to when such strikes occur.
The fear is not misplaced when the strikes are routinely followed by violence towards bus passengers and other people trying to ferry family and friends to work.
This violence inevitably sees buses burnt and trains torched by no doubt agents of the industry.
At present the taxi industry is acting like it was the only industry to suffer financially during the lockdown.
Many other industries faced no earnings and in some cases have gone out of business, so I have no sympathy for them.
Demanding that the government provide them with hand cleansers and gloves was ridiculous as every private industry had to provide these themselves.
And yes, there are payments due to finance houses for the taxis, but many businesses also had loans to pay.
Why do they see themselves as more deserving?
Simple — because they hold the country to ransom every time they cannot get their way.
I am no supporter of yet another state-run entity, but there is growing need for the taxi industry to be regulated more stringently.
The plethora of associations in every town and province creates a festering sore where there is a continual fight for more territory and more routes, and control of the ranks leads to murders of rivals.
It is so like a gang turf war which always ends in death for somebody.
The industry wants to be subsidised and perhaps there is merit in this as the government can’t offer a better alternative — but how should this subsidy be managed?
If only — and it’s a big if — some form of overall regulatory body could be put in place which would oversee the issue of permits, routes and so on.
One could subsidise the taxis by providing fuel at a lower cost and such discount could be increased or decreased with the movement in fuel prices.
Such fuel would be purchased for cash supported by a form of smart card provided that the vehicle in question is properly licensed, permit valid and it has no outstanding traffic fines above an agreed amount.
The card, if rejected, would result in the purchaser having to fill at full rate.
Cards would be updated continually by a centre set up for this, providing employment for a lot of currently jobless citizens.
These cards would also have to be produced at roadblocks or whatever.
I know that many will say that this is pie in the sky but some form of creative thinking is required if the country is not going to be continually held to ransom by what many perceive as an industry that is a law unto itself.