The City of Cape Town has met with the Hout Bay Taxi Association (HBTA) earlier today, 6 September 2022, to discuss the association’s grievances and determine a way forward. The meeting followed after the public violence in Hout Bay on Monday when MyCiTi buses and private vehicles were attacked in and around Suikerbossie and Hout Bay.
The City will resume its Dial-a-Ride (DAR) and MyCiTi services in Hout Bay as of tomorrow, 7 September 2022, and can confirm that there will be a strong visibility of the South African Police Service and Law Enforcement in the area.
The City notes the complaints from the Hout Bay Taxi Association (HBTA) regarding the following matters and has committed to assisting the association.
Issues regarding the operating licence renewal applications:
- The association says they are struggling with their renewal applications to the Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE)
- The City has requested the association to provide a receipt and the renewal application reference number for every renewal application that has been made and is still outstanding. The City will then investigate these renewal applications and liaise directly with the PRE to try and resolve these applications
Issue of renewal of operating licence applications being rejected:
- The City has requested for the association to bring forward every rejected application and supporting documentation in order for the City to investigate the reasons for these rejections. These rejections could be based on factors such as SARS compliance or roadworthy vehicle issues, but the municipality has promised to investigate each one with the PRE
Issues relating to routes Y12 (Hangberg to Imizamo Yethu) and Y13 (Imizamo Yethu to Claremont via Wynberg):
- The association claims that the Provincial Regulatory Entity’s (PRE) Provincial Transport Regulatory System (PTRS) did not reflect routes Y12 and Y13 when they applied for same. However, the City investigated this claim during the engagement and the PTRS indeed reflected the two routes in question. The PTRS further confirmed there are in fact three operating licences available for the two routes, which are an equal split routes between Hout Bay and Wynberg. The City is currently establishing how many Hout Bay permits are available for these routes.
Inactive operating licences:
- Another issue that was raised and needs to be dealt with is inactive operating licences. These are operating licences that have not been cancelled by the association for various reasons. The cancelling of inactive operating licences is the responsibility of the HBTA in conjunction with the PRE and the Provincial Taxi Registrar (PTR). The City is urging the association to deal with these inactive operating licences as soon as possible in order for the PRE to process the cancellation of these; for the PTR to deregister the member where an operating licence has been cancelled; and as a result, freeing up more operating licences for the area.
The City has also provided the association with the details of the transport relations officer at the PTR assigned to the association to assist them directly.
‘I believe the discussions between the City and the HBTA regarding operating licences was fruitful and promising. The City has committed to assisting the association by facilitating some of the administrative bottlenecks they say they are experiencing with the operating licence application processes. Although these applications are made with the PRE, the City committed to investigating and resolving some of the issues they have said to be experiencing.
‘With reference to the association’s grievances regarding the MyCiTi bus service, the HBTA does not want MyCiTi buses operating in Hout Bay at all and wants the City to only provide the MyCiTi bus service up until Llaundudno.
‘These are unrealistic demands on the City. It cannot be considered in any way and would be contradicting what I have always said as the Urban Mobility Mayco Member: that Capetonians need to be spoilt for choice when it comes to various modes of public transport. There is no, and has never been, an embargo on Amaphela or minibus-taxi’s operating in Hout Bay. Any legal and permitted taxi can still continue to operate in the area.
‘I trust that today’s engagement proved to be helpful to the association and that they will refrain from resorting to any violence. We all need to abide by the law and engage in a peaceful and respectful manner,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas.
Lastly, regarding the compensation related to the roll-out of Phase 1 of the MyCiTi service – this matter is currently on the Western Cape High Court roll, it has been initiated by HBTA, and the City is awaiting the court’s ruling on this matter.
Both the City and HBTA’s legal teams have also committed to meet to discuss certain impasses. The City understands that the MyCiTi Phase 1 compensation matter’s court date has been set for 31 July 2023.
