Transport minister Dullah Omar has said he fully supports the controversial decision in the Western Cape not to impound illegal taxis during the festive season.
Transport minister Dullah Omar has said he fully supports the controversial decision in the Western Cape not to impound illegal taxis during the festive season.
The reports that MEC of Community Safety Leonard Ramatlakane has asked traffic officials not to impound illegal taxis during the festive season and the Cricket World Cup.
Ramatlakane said he had discovered that traffic authorities had a plan to impound vehicles over the festive season, but he felt this was not a high priority. He said he feared it could lead to tensions between the traffic authorities and the taxi industry.
“Saving lives is paramount. So is the focus of bringing down crime. I intervened and said let’s have an integrated safety plan in which we identify priorities,” he told the newspaper.
Omar’s spokesman, Innocent Mpe, told CARtoday.com that Ramatlakane had consulted the minister before making the decision. “Crime is a bigger problem during the festive season and taxis will be looked at, but it’s not a priority now.
“Ramatlakane has made an agreement with the taxi groups, the Convention of Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta) and the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) that they will ensure their taxis are roadworthy. They will also ensure that all taxis are registered,” said Mpe.
Phile Mahangu of Cata told the he welcomed the move. “During the festive season many people travel by taxi everywhere, so it would have been an inconvenience for commuters if taxis were to have been impounded,” he said.
Similar action will not be taken in KwaZulu-Natal, which has a special unit concentrating on public transport vehicles. “Taxis are like any other vehicle and must obey the laws. In fact, we will be targeting taxis and buses during the festive season because they are carrying more people and we want to ensure these commuters and other road users are safe,” Logan Maistry, deputy director of communications for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, told CARtoday.com.
Maistry said he had been working with the provincial taxi council to ensure all taxis are safe and roadworthy during the festive season.
Gauteng Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works media liaison officer Sizwe Matshikiza told CARtoday.com all vehicles will be checked in the province. “There are no exceptions, especially not taxis. “About two weeks’ ago we had a taxi accident in Benoni. We found out that the owner of this taxi also had four other taxis and we also had those taxis checked for roadworthiness. I think this proves that we are treating this very seriously.
“We need to ensure our commuters are transported safely and this will not happen if the vehicles are not legal and roadworthy. We have the support of the taxi organisations in Gauteng and they are helping us ensure that all taxis in the area comply with our laws,” Matshikiza said.
There have been a number of horrific accidents involving taxis in December. In Durban, 15 people were injured, four seriously, when a taxi overturned. It was reported that the taxi’s brakes had failed.
CARtoday.com reported recently that a KwaZulu Natal taxi was at the top of the Durban Metro Police’s most wanted list after racking up R41 650 in outstanding fines.
What do you think of the decision in the Western Cape?