WHY do we blame officials for not doing their job? It’s because far too often the commuting public points fingers at taxi associations for the chaos that erupts. Case in point, Westlake and Capricorn.
The general public is often unaware that taxi associations have to fend for themselves when it comes to route management or monitoring communities for public transport needs. It’s the taxi industry which services commuters to ensure this economy has students who get to school on time, and workers who get to their employers on time. There is a misconception as to who turns the key in the morning to start the working day.
That responsibility does not rest with the City, the province or even the president of this country. That responsibility rests with the taxi driver ready to start the day at 4am or earlier.
Should you then not ask the question as to why that level of responsibility does not enjoy the support of government or treasury funding or even guidance by professionals, and subsidised by the tax system?
We dare the citizens of this province and this city to ask more questions and expect more concrete answers from officials other than “we are looking into the situation”. That type of answer is unacceptable. As the chairman of a taxi association, I urge citizens to demand more answers from your leaders and ask questions as to why taxi associations have to resort to defending their own routes and why there is no plan on the table for the biggest public transport operator, minibus taxis.
Why is there no money on the table for infrastructure development or improvement? All we want is honesty and an admission that there is no plan, and there is no engagement with the industry.
Proper control over taxi operations are non-existent. There is no enforcement, no plan and, more importantly, no transformation of the industry. A few are reaping the benefits while others chase the same bone as City and provincial officials watch the chaos and downward spiral of this golden opportunity to reverse the Cape Flats economics.
We are losing the opportunity to create more jobs, empower more entrepreneurs, integrate industries, monetise more opportunities and spread more wealth to citizens who are marginalised and disadvantaged from access to basic human rights.
Officials need to answer questions relating to regulation, education and empowerment of the taxi industry for Cape Town and the broader Western Cape. We want answers from our government officials, I am speaking directly to:
l Lee van der Berg – regulation and monitoring surveys.
l Heathcliffe Thomas – traffic manager.
l Mark Skrikker – chairperson of the Provincial Regulatory Entity: operating licence applications.
l Abdoesalaam Isaacs – acting registrar: Provincial Regulatory Entity.
l Yasier Ahmed – chief director of transport.
l Adiel November: Provincial Conflict Resolution.
If you cannot fix your transport problems, then admit to it, stop pretending there is no problem.
We have no rail infrastructure in Cape Town. Period. But there is an endless network of minibus taxis that services 85% of your road-based market, which is an uneasy and difficult pill for officials to swallow. They are aware, but won’t admit that market demand is created by the taxi industry.
The minibus taxi market has always acknowledged its role to bring commuters from the home to the main transport interchange where larger vehicles, midi-bus, bus and rail can be accessed.
It’s not rocket science, instead officials choose to villainise the industry to take the R1.00 out of the community and into the coffers of a faceless entity, never to enter the Cape Flats economy again.
However, it would appear that statements like this cannot be made, and questions cannot be asked.
Not surprisingly, last week, after the peaceful protest in Westlake against illegal operators, my own legitimately operating vehicle was impounded once again – without fail – for an administrative error on my licence made by the transport authority in 2010.
One has to weigh up whether to laugh or to cry at such ridiculous behaviour from officials. It’s amazing that my constitutional rights can be violated, but in doing so, officials would have to ignore in excess of 100 illegally operating vehicles on the same route. Laughable.
All jokes aside, big business and small business suffer because of an influx of illegal operators. Failure after failure by officials is putting all businesses at risk. This association will not stand for it. We have already started talks with other affected businesses and we will put together our own task team to tackle this problem.
We do not need more promises, threats or interference; someone has to step up and stand out as the authority to clean up the streets, communicate to affected parties, stand in the corner of the commuter and be a partner to local business. Government is clearly not up for the task.
If ever there was confusion about our role as legitimate taxi operators in the southern suburbs, let me clear that up for you right now. We will grow with our community, we will succeed within are business environment, and we will be trading on all our assigned routes.
I note again, as the legitimate operators in the southern suburbs, we will be trading on all of our legally assigned routes, including Capricorn and Westlake. The gravy train stops right here. It’s a new day and we are asserting our position in the southern suburbs.
As law enforcement and transport officials, you only have one job to do, to ensure our path is not hampered by criminals and any obstacles that are deemed unconstitutional, including harassment and failure to perform. Please ensure all obstacles are moved from our path.
We reiterate the same message again and again that we want to collaborate, not break down, but this City and this province have no respect for the industry or service we provide. The time for talk is over.
The officials mentioned here, and their leaders, can choose an outcome for this industry, to date, they have chosen to perpetuate failure. Public transport is not a chessboard with winners and losers; everyone has a right to participate within the boundaries of the law. All we ask is for officials to enforce those boundaries to ensure we all play fairly.
The taxi industry can explode with opportunity or simply implode. The politicians and the gatekeepers must choose what they want to do. Whatever the choice, you will not be taking us backwards.
We will not go back to pass laws and the Group Areas Act. You are attempting to step on our heritage and attempting to cast a big shadow on our place in the sun. Be forewarned, caged dogs have a tendency to bite their owner.
● Nagel is Chairperson of the Retreat Taxi Association