Transport minister Jeff Radebe has ordered the scrapping of 10 000 old and dangerous minibus taxis by the end of 2006, as part of government’s renewed taxi recapitalisation plans.
Transport minister Jeff Radebe has ordered the scrapping of 10 000 old and dangerous minibus taxis by the end of 2006, as part of government’s renewed taxi recapitalisation plans.
As part of the R7,7-billion strategy, the country’s minibus taxis – estimated to total about 100 000 – will be removed from our roads within the next five years. They will be replaced with 18- and 35-seater buses.
In the first stage, about 10 000 of the oldest and most dangerous “deathtraps” will be scrapped by the end of 2006. Taxi operators have three months to register their vehicles for scrapping, entitling them to a R50 000 scrapping allowance, which could be used to help finance their replacement buses.
“Our tactic is to target the ‘deathtraps’ on our roads,” Radebe said. “We have entered a new phase, a phase of relentless implementation over the next 18 months.”
Radebe noted that a verification process would prevent any unregistered operators from presenting old minibuses and claiming the R 50 000.
The taxi industry is currently privately operated and is used to transport approximately 70 percent of South Africa’s commuters. The unregulated industry has for years been the cause of clashes between rival operators battling for control over the lucrative routes.
Radebe announced on Monday that an extra R2,5-billion would be allocated to improve law enforcement on the roads. He has also tasked municipalities with the control of the taxi ranks, which, along with the routes, will no longer be under the control of the independent taxi associations.
The new buses will meet strict safety regulations and will all be equipped with seatbelts, anti-roll bars and tamper-proof speed regulators, limiting speed to 100 km/h.
Recently, McCarthy Motor Holdings announced the introduction of the Gaz Gazelle – fully imported from Russia – as its contender in the new taxi market.
“This is a flagship project for RusPromAuto, with the right-hand drive version of the Gazelle 16-seater taxi especially developed for South Africa. In our opinion, the Gaz products are well suited to South African operating conditions, and they represent outstanding value for money,” said Brand Pretorius, chairman of McCarthy Motor Holdings.
At a price of R179 900, the Gazelle (fitted with a 2 134 cm3 turbodiesel engine with peak outputs of 81kW at 3 800 r/min and 250 N.m at 2 000 r/min) is covered by a one-year/60 000 km warranty.
The final specification for the new taxis is yet to be announced.
