Mbalula: Govt not at war with taxi industry

Mbalula: Govt not at war with taxi industry

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says the taxi industry holding the government to ransom by unilaterally implementing a 100% load capacity in taxis.

Fikile Mbalula
Image courtesy: Gauteng Department of Transport.

This comes after the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) instructed its taxi drivers to load their vehicles at 100% capacity from Monday.

 

Level 3 lockdown regulations require taxis to limit their passengers to 70% of capacity to try and curb the spread of Covid-19.

 

Mbalula said government is not at war with the industry and the matter can be resolved without taking it to the streets.

 

"I don't know who said we are fighting with the taxi industry. Do I want law enforcement to clamp down on the taxi industry? Can the taxi industry promote anarchy and bring the country to a standstill? Yes.

 

"There will be a collision over what? Over something we can resolve? That is absolutely unnecessary.”

 

Mbalula was speaking during a media briefing on reopening of more airports under level 3 of the lockdown.


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Airports around the country were closed following the outbreak of Covid-19 and the subsequent banning of all air travel. Briefing the media on Monday, Mbalula said several air travel restrictions will be eased as the country eases level 3 of the lockdown.

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