The City of Johannesburg has instituted a new by-law that could see taxi drivers who hoot or stop unnecessarily being fined or even imprisoned.
The City of Johannesburg has instituted a new by-law that could see taxi drivers who hoot or stop unnecessarily being fined or even imprisoned.
Taxi drivers are now obliged to stop the meter whenever the taxi stops for reasons other than traffic congestion or at passengers’ requests. Taxi drivers are now also prohibited from sounding their hooters or any other device to attract potential passengers as a way of addressing noise pollution.
To protect commuters from being overcharged, the city’s new metered taxi, minibus taxi and bus by-laws compels metered taxi drivers to take the "shortest" route to a passenger’s destination.
The drivers should be "clean and neatly dressed" at all times and report lost property must be reported to their association or metropolitan police offices.
Taxi drivers have also been given the authority to demand licences from passengers carrying firearms and they can refuse to carry intoxicated people or those with infectious diseases.
Taxi drivers who violate these by-laws face six months’ imprisonment or a R50 fine, according to a report.