Name and shame taxi drivers who flout road and Covid-19 regulations

I HAD an alarming journey on a Durban inner-city minibus, registered with the North Beach Taxi Association, on June 2 at 10am – two days into the easing of Covid-19 regulations to level 3.

Oh, I should also mention that eThekwini Municipality is a Covid-19 hot spot.

The taxi had five passengers, including myself, when I boarded at Dorothy Nyembe (Gardiner) Street, travelling along Anton Lembede (Smith) Street. Then I noticed that the driver wore no mask or gloves, considering that he was handling fares and that most drivers eat and drive.

Much to my regret, the driver continued loading 11 more passengers at further stops.

Besides passengers being packed in like this, flouting the health regulations, the driver also permitted six of the passengers who wore no masks to board, with much talking at close quarters. Then to top it all: he drove like a maniac, weaving across the street for yet another potential fare or two.

We can forget about a “new normal” euphoria where we are all supposed to be mindful and exercise caution and restraint.

Taking precautions to protect myself, my family and my fellow citizens by wearing protective gear and making what I considered a reasonably safe bet for travelling a short journey on a taxi through town proved to be really unwise for risk of exposure to Sars-CoV-2.

The majority of people have no choice but to depend on minibuses. While most of the adults relying on this transportation are the country’s workforce, parents are currently deliberating over sending their children back to school. Many will again rely on minibus drivers to safely transport their children.

Are the policing authorities going to continue to allow minibus associations to continue breaking the road rules as most of them usually do, hold communities of passengers and industry to ransom by striking when the book is thrown at them, and now possibly drive many to sickness or an early grave, road accidents aside?

While it will be difficult, or downright dangerous for some passengers to do, I encourage them wherever possible, to find a way to name and shame taxi associations whose drivers continue to disrespect the law, show disregard for their passengers and endanger lives. Perhaps the community pressure of shaming them will jack them up or get the policing authorities’ attention. Other road users should do the same.