• News
  • Sport
  • TV
  • Radio
  • Education
  • TV Licences
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • SOUTH AFRICA
  • POLITICS
  • BUSINESS
  • SPORT
  • AFRICA
  • WORLD
  • SCI-TECH
  • LIFESTYLE
  • FEATURES
  • OPINION
Home South Africa

National Taxi Lekgotla Public Discourse Platform launched in Johannesburg

20 August 2020, 7:07 PM  |
Amina Accram Amina Accram |  @SABCNews
Fikile Mbalula

[File Image] Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says one of the items on the agenda of the Lekgotla is the issue of unity within the taxi industry.

Fikile Mbalula

Image: Twitter@SAgovnews

[File Image] Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says one of the items on the agenda of the Lekgotla is the issue of unity within the taxi industry.

Discussions to reform the country’s taxi industry kicked off on Thursday in Johannesburg. Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula officially launched the National Taxi Lekgotla Public Discourse Platform, in Germiston. The Lekgotla will roll-out a series of engagements between industry players, stakeholders, businesses and civil society towards formalisation of the taxi industry. Government has pledged its support for the sector and is expected to subsidise the industry next year.

Mbalula outlined the main discussion points to be tackled at the National Taxi Lekgotla. The taxi industry is estimated to contribute R90 billion in revenue annually.

A series of engagements will continue until the end of October where stakeholders in the taxi industry will then hold a major indaba, where concrete plans will be adopted. Government wants to formularise the industry to ensure increased safety and convenience for commuters.

Mbalula says the sector remains unregulated, unstructured, does not comply with labour laws, is weak and ineffective due to a fragmented approach. He hopes the engagements will consolidate consensus, empower and unite the sector.

“I declared my intention to convene a national taxi indaba which will emerge with a groundbreaking compact that will take the transformation of the taxi industry to its logical conclusion. The history of the taxi industry is littered with gruesome tales of conflicts and violence and some of it does persist today, this is an industry that has pioneered its own growth.”

Meanwhile, the President of SANTACO Philip Taaibosch says they have lost trust in government after it abandoned plans to formalise the taxi industry three decades ago. SANTACO said government has failed to resuscitate the 1996 national task team (NTT) for the sector-which was supposed to formalise, unify and empower the industry. Taaibosch also slammed the high-interest rate environment in which the sector continued to operate.

“We are saying yes to regulation minister, yes to formalisation and yes to economic emancipation. South Africa is now in the sixth year with 25 years of democracy but the taxi industry remains unsubsidised. This despite accounting for 70% of the transportation of the employees. Taxi’s continue to be financed at high-interest rates despite statistics in South Africa showing the taxi industry as the most preferred mode of transport in the country.”

SANTACO on transforming the taxi industry

Mbalula agrees, he says the industry needs to be empowered.

“You contribute R40 billion as the taxi industry combined, it can be fuel and all that, but do you own anything in this industry that is the question we must ask. So we must fight for the real thing, ownership. The economic model in this country, if we talk about radical economic transformation, must be proven with this industry.”

Transport Department on a drive to reshape SA’s taxi industry

Treasurer General of the Black Business Council Bonolo Ramakhele says, “We have an interest wherever black businesses are operating and making sure they get the most equitable participation in any economic activity in the country. We are here to pledge support to this initiative, it’s quite historic and momentous. We look at the taxi industry as we are proud to say it’s a black-owned industry but when we dig in deeper and see who benefits from this industry, it’s not us. It’s people who are not sitting here because a certain percentage of the money, I think it’s R120 000 or so goes to the deposit of a vehicle and that deposit goes to a certain company and the taxi that is borrowing that money ends up partying with 25% for a vehicle.”

The national taxi indaba is scheduled to take place from the 29th to the 30th of October 2020. Stakeholders have more than a month to accelerate discussions and issues facing the sector. Build up to the national Lekgotla will include robust discussions on regulation, unity and professionalisation of the industry.

Mbalula says they will have discussion documents in the coming weeks through webinars. Resolutions that will be adopted in October that require legislation will then be taken forward.

Leadership structures will be established to represent the entire industry under the expected resolutions. Government says there are over there hundred thousand taxi operators on the ground.

The minister says challenges facing e-hailing services and the metre taxi industry will also be discussed and a solution found.

Launch of national taxi public discourse platform: Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula

Share article
Tags: JohannesburgSANTACOFikile MbalulaPhilip TaaiboschTaxi IndabaNational Taxi Lekgotla Public Discourse
Previous Post

eThekwini Municipality plans to recover R80 million in irregular expenditure

Next Post

Fears that the unbanning of alcohol may lead to increased road accidents and domestic violence cases

Related Posts

File Image: A black rhino is seen after it was dehorned in an effort to deter the poaching of one of the world's endangered species, at a farm outside Klerksdorp, in the North West on February 24, 2016.

Manhunt under way for suspected rhino poachers in Eastern Cape

5 February 2023, 8:41 AM
Bullet casings and broken glass

Teen killed, toddler wounded in Cape Flats drive-by shooting

5 February 2023, 8:00 AM
File Photo: An ambulance parked outside the Lily Mine in Mpumalanga.

Government slammed for ‘inaction’ regarding Lily Mine tragedy

5 February 2023, 6:24 AM
A picture of bullets, a gun and police tape.

Criminal syndicate within ANC benefited from defunct VBS Bank: Mapaila

4 February 2023, 8:45 PM
A crime scene cordoned off.

VIDEO | Slain Limpopo woman Lindelani Nengovhela remembered at memorial service

4 February 2023, 5:33 PM
A man is pictured refilling bottles from a water tanker.

Communities in Free State continue to struggle to obtain basic services amid power cuts

4 February 2023, 4:08 PM
Next Post

Fears that the unbanning of alcohol may lead to increased road accidents and domestic violence cases

Most Viewed

  • 24hrs
  • Week
  • Month
  • Registration at Unisa closes on Friday, but management says no need to panic
  • King of Bacardi music ‘Vusi Ma R5’ killed in Soshanguve
  • Committee wants to halt planned demolition of North West hospital
  • VIDEO: Mabuza resigns as SA Deputy President
  • Shock over proposed SA sponsorship of Tottenham Hotspur
  • Parts of the Northern Cape to be exempted from rolling blackouts
  • Registration at Unisa closes on Friday, but management says no need to panic
  • VIDEO | St Benedict College’s Matric learner gets 11 distinctions
  • Limpopo matriculant from child-headed household attains diploma pass
  • Female circumcision practice thriving in Eastern Cape
  • VIDEO: Mabuza resigns as SA Deputy President
  • Three SA Tourism board members resign
  • EFF vows to disrupt SONA
  • Communities in Free State continue to struggle to obtain basic services amid power cuts
  • Qualified leaders needed for EFF to grow, says Malema

LATEST

File Image: A black rhino is seen after it was dehorned in an effort to deter the poaching of one of the world's endangered species, at a farm outside Klerksdorp, in the North West on February 24, 2016.
  • South Africa

Manhunt under way for suspected rhino poachers in Eastern Cape


A balloon flies in the sky over Billings, Montana, U.S. February 1, 2023 in this picture obtained from social media.
  • World

Suspected Chinese spy balloon shot down by US military


Bullet casings and broken glass
  • South Africa

Teen killed, toddler wounded in Cape Flats drive-by shooting


ActionSA Leader Herman Mashaba.
  • Politics

‘SA will remain a sinking ship under the ANC’


File Photo: An ambulance parked outside the Lily Mine in Mpumalanga.
  • South Africa

Government slammed for ‘inaction’ regarding Lily Mine tragedy


Juergen Klopp and Mo Salah during a match
  • Sport

Sorry Liverpool thrashed 3-0 at Wolves


Weather

  • About the SABC
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Disclaimer
  • Site Map

SABC © 2023

No Result
View All Result
  • SOUTH AFRICA
  • POLITICS
  • BUSINESS
  • SPORT
  • AFRICA
  • WORLD
  • SCI-TECH
  • LIFESTYLE
  • FEATURES
  • OPINION

© 2022

Previous eThekwini Municipality plans to recover R80 million in irregular expenditure
Next Fears that the unbanning of alcohol may lead to increased road accidents and domestic violence cases