The Seshego-Polokwane Taxi Association in Limpopo has dismissed reports that its taxi rank in Polokwane has seen a rise in COVID-19 cases.
The association has assured commuters that it is safe to use their taxis. This comes after the death of four taxi owners last week due to COVID-19 complications.
The association says the taxi owners rarely visited the taxi rank, saying passengers should not be alarmed. The association has also reminded commuters to adhere to regulations.
Polokwane Taxi Rank is one of the largest transportation hubs in Limpopo. The taxis that operate at the rank ferry close to 20 000 passengers a day during peak periods.
Taxi Association assures commuters it is safe to use their taxis:
Death of four taxi bosses
Operators are still mourning the death of four taxi bosses who died from COVID-19 complications. The association’s spokesperson, Mushita Lekganyane has dismissed reports suggesting that cases have increased dramatically at the taxi rank.
“Those people are our owners, but they don’t come to the taxi rank. They stay at home. So, it is not a matter that is related to taxis. People blow this out of proportion. Someone from taxis (sic) gets infected by coronavirus and then people start to blow things out of proportion. You are no longer going to use taxis because the taxi owner got infected by the virus; it is not fair on us.”
Compliance to regulations
Rank officials are also closely monitoring hygiene and compliance to COVID-19 regulations amongst commuters. One of the taxi rank marshals says some passengers struggle to follow the rules.
“When passengers get inside any of our taxis, we make sure we sanitise them, we make sure they put on their mask. Passengers are strictly not allowed to eat inside the taxi.”
Passengers, however, say they would also like to have their temperatures checked.
“They sanitise, but they don’t take the temperature. The temperature, we don’t take temperatures. It is only the sanitising and they make sure we put our masks on.”
The taxi industry remains one of the key sectors that the government continues to focus on in the hope of reducing coronavirus transmission.
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