Taxi industry not happy with R1bn relief package
The National Taxi Alliance (NTA) and the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) have rejected the government's Covid-19 relief package of R1.1 billion
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula made the announcement on Friday, stating that the once-off payment comes with stringent conditions that will force taxi operators to register as business entities.
"We are not happy about it, but there is nothing we can do about it at this stage but we are consulting with our people. This does not speak to the losses we have incurred, its only a fraction," says NTA's Theo Malele.
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Santaco's Bafana Magagula says the industry has been hard hit by the lockdown regulations and taxi owners are struggling to pay their vehicle installments.
Malele says while the process to formalise the industry should be welcomed, the government should have waited for the taxi indaba.
The industry is demanding a monthly payment of R20 000 per taxi to cover its losses.