By Lungile Ntimba
In an effort to deal with a number of issues facing the taxi industry in Gauteng, including licence backlogs and the management of fares, roads and transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela will establish an operating licence crisis committee.
It will comprise officials from the department, municipalities and regional leaders from the taxi industry.
“The collaboration will decisively facilitate the sanitising and consolidation of data, proposals and clearing of operating licences backlogs, integrated management fares, and [address] violence-prone hotspots in the province, particularly amongst identified taxi associations,” the department said on Tuesday.
“It will also follow up on the scrapping of operating licences related to the recapitalisation programme, including, but not limited to penning a letter to the national [transport] minister indicating the impact of the systems delay.”
The announcement follows the MEC holding a meeting with the leadership of the Gauteng taxi industry on Sunday to discuss various issues.
They include the backlog in the processing and issuing of operating licences, with the MEC taking accountability.
“The industry should not fall victim to government’s systems lapses ultimately bearing the costs and the task team will deliberate on the modalities for enhanced implementation,” she said.
Early last year, the department identified over 6000 operating licences that needed to be renewed, however, less than 500 applications were received and processed.
Diale-Tlabela told the meeting that there was no moratorium on operating licences, and that over-the-counter services would proceed to process applications within three days.
“There will also be over-the counter adjudication for special events’ applications. The task team will be expected to tighten systems to put policy over practice and be audit-based to avoid unintended over-saturation instances on routes that often lead to conflict.
“This will be done with the cognisance of internal innovation within associations and regions. There shall, however, be no registration of new associations and new entrants,” the department said in a statement.
Diale-Tlabela also announced that she would be launching a Gender Help Desk during the 16 Days of Activism to assist the widowed spouses of taxi owners with a dedicated service, including expedited transfers and granting of operating licences with minimal disruptions.
She condemned the recent intimidation and violence meted out on Gauteng’s road users. Taxi operators stopped the Rea Vaya bus service from operating in Soweto due licensing issues.
“Any such incident must be reported to authorities and perpetrators should face the music. We have in the past impounded patrol vehicles found to be used in the commission of such and perpetrators arrested.
“It is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated, especially in cases where women often fall victim to such,” she warned.
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