I have noted the comments made today at the Western Cape Taxi Lekgotla by the national Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, that the taxi industry must benefit from a national government subsidy as from April next year. Whilst we await further details of what exactly this subsidy is for and who will benefit, it speaks to what we already know in this province: with political will and constructive but frank engagement, government can indeed work together with the taxi industry for the benefit of operators, drivers, and most importantly, commuters.
It has been 24 years since the ANC led the National Taxi Task Team (NTTT), which begs the question of why it is only now that national government is taking the body’s recommendations seriously and making commitment – at least in word – to a subsidy. This year alone, 87 operators and drivers have been murdered, with a further 34 attempted murders under investigation.
Pretoria is scrambling to make up for lost time and effectively side-track the public from the burning issue of a failed railway system in which the Cape’s Central Line is all but collapsed. The DA-led Western Cape, however, embraced the taxi industry and set up a highly successful RedDot initiative with taxis to safely transport in excess of 6,000 healthcare workers and commuted an average of over 700 passengers per day at the height of the pandemic. This is testament to our commitment toward cooperation and effective public-private partnerships.
I will therefore be writing to the Minister of Transport and Public Works in the province, Bonginkosi Madikizela, to request details of any engagements between himself and Minister Mbalula as to how the national subsidy is to be rolled out in the provinces, and who will benefit. Minister Madikizela has already called for national government to pay the salaries of taxi drivers so as to provide consistency and eliminate the challenges drivers face in rushing to transport passengers at the expense of safety.
As Chairperson of the province’s Transport and Public Works Committee, I will continue to conduct oversight of all promises made – nationally and provincially – so that residents of this province get to work and home, safely and cost-effectively.
