Limited hours for taxi’s to operate during lockdown
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says people will only be able to use public transport for eight hours a day to get essential items and go to work once the national lockdown comes into effect.
Mbalula addressed the media on Wednesday during a justice and crime prevention security cluster briefing in Tshwane.
Mbalula says taxis will only be available between 5 am and 9 am, and again between 4 pm and 8 pm.
E-hailing services such as Uber, Bolt and metered taxis will also be operating under the same arrangements.
"Minibus taxis will be allowed to transport essential services workers and those allowed to make the necessary permitted movements. Transport movements in this regard will be allowed to operate from 05h00 to 09h00 and again from 16h00 to 20h00.
"Metered taxis and e-hailing vehicles will be allowed to transport essential services workers and those allowed to make the necessary permitted movements," Mbalula added.
He says for people living in remote areas will be able to use public transport to get what they need during the eight hours.
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"All people are catered for in terms of public transport, particularly prioritising essential services. If you want to buy groceries and are staying ina remote area obviously you are going to be catered to within the time of 5 o clock to 9 o clock in the morning and 4 o clock and 8 pm in terms of transporting people staying in remote area.
"The lockdown seeks to limit unnecessary movement, you stay indoors and stay in our homes. So that also got an impact on transport because you cannot commute like business as usual. If you talk about today at Park Station people are packing and leaving in numbers, that is exactly what is not needed."
Trade and industry minister Ebrahim Patel said his department was finalising operating hours to be implemented by retailers during the lockdown.
Mbalula also said that nearly all bus services will be suspended during the lockdown.
"Limited bus operations will be allowed to transport essential services workers and those allowed to make the necessary permitted movements.
"It will only be buses that are transporting people to work, let's say Eskom workers and those who will be going to the hospital. There will be no mass movement of the busses like on a normal basis.
"All commuter rail services will shut down for the duration of the lockdown. This includes all Metrorail and Gautrain services".
Mbalula said some services offered by the Department of Tansport, such as driver's licence applications and renewals, have also been put on hold.
Mbalula added that drivers will not be penalised if their driving licenses expired during the lockdown period.