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Santaco N West demands action on ‘war’ between legal and illegal taxis

Santaco's Velakhe Naphakade
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The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) in the North West has called on government to declare the ‘war’ between legal and illegal taxi operators a state of emergency. Santaco says law enforcement agencies are failing to do their job in getting rid of illegal taxi operators.

This comes as the Department of Community Safety and Transport management embarked on a road safety campaign in Potchefstroom on Tuesday morning, aimed at catching up with owners of un-roadworthy vehicles and expired permits.

“We are checking the road worthiness of those vehicles, but we are also checking the permits particularly for taxis. We are checking whether they have permits to be on the road and whether they are on the correct routes,” says Community Safety and Transport Management Dr Mpho Motlhabe.

However, Santaco says not enough is being done by law enforcement agencies to curb the scourge of illegal taxi operations.

“If the law enforcers can do their job maybe if the MEC can declare the state of emergency so that they can curb those hiking spots and those illegal vehicles because the whole province has got only one problem, illegal operators,” says Santaco North West’s Provincial General Secretary Velakhe Naphakade.

The department also met taxi associations in the province to discuss challenges in the industry and find solutions. 

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