TAXI PRICE HIKE SPITS IN FACE OF COMMUTERS
IT’S DISHEARTENING that the poor who live in Gauteng will have to dig even deeper into their pockets as taxi fares undergo an unprecedented 172% increase from next week.
It will only be a matter of time before other associations throughout the country follow suit, in their bid to get the government to relax Covid-19 lockdown regulations that impact on the taxi industry, which moves about 15 million commuters daily.
On Saturday the Alexandra, Randburg, Midrand, Sandton Taxi Association (Armsta) and Alexandra Taxi Association (ATA) announced that a trip from the township of Alexandra in Johannesburg, would increase from R11 to R30 from June 15.
This caused a massive uproar that could be heard beyond Joburg. Yesterday, unhappy commuters became even more vocal when 176 other associations in Gauteng announced they were heeding Armsta’s call.
It’s only a matter of time before Uncedo Taxi Association in Port Elizabeth, CATA and Codeta taxi associations in Cape Town and Umlazi Taxi Association in Durban follow suit in stifling the compromised finances of their commuters.
“We reduced our loads to 70% and our operation hours were also reduced, and we were promised by the government that they will assist us financially but unfortunately up until today we haven’t received any feedback or response from the government on how they are going to assist taxi operators,” said ATA general secretary Gabriel Mataboge over the weekend.
It is fair to say the complaints from the taxi industry are valid. These men and women have families to feed and car instalments to service monthly. However, their shocking approach seems to border on greed and it is hostile and aggressive.
Covid-19 has impacted on everyone, from domestic workers to office workers, who have either taken salary cuts or been warned of possible retrenchments. We are all losing.
For taxi operators to choose to hike their prices by up to 172% is selfish and spits in the faces of the 15 million commuters they drive daily. It smacks of opportunistic behaviour that should not be allowed during these trying times.
President Cyril Ramaphosa and his National Coronavirus Command Council need to engage with the taxi operators to find common ground that will cushion the blow of the pandemic.