Taxi bosses stand to lose permits

Cape Town-120223-Joe Gqabi taxi rank. Many of the taxi ranks in the city are filthy, drivers behave awfully and laws are openly flouted. Picture Jeffrey Abrahams

Cape Town-120223-Joe Gqabi taxi rank. Many of the taxi ranks in the city are filthy, drivers behave awfully and laws are openly flouted. Picture Jeffrey Abrahams

Published Jul 12, 2012

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Ninety Cape Town taxi bosses could have their operating permits withdrawn by the provincial Department of Transport and Public Works.

The top 100 traffic offenders owe the City of Cape Town just over R6 million in fines - between them, they have 9419 arrest warrants outstanding.

Mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith said it was one of the measures, along with the ‘admin marks’, which would prevent serial offenders from evading justice.

Smith was referring to ‘admin marks’ placed on offenders on the Enatis system which will prevent them from renewing their vehicle and driving licences.

He said scores of taxi drivers had started paying their fines in recent weeks.

The main reason they mentioned when settling their legal woes was the ‘admin marks’. Many were concerned they would not be able to operate, leaving them with no income.

“They need to realise there are consequences, the public is sick of being bullied.”

Last week, the city started tracing the top 10 offenders. So far it has nabbed two.

The provincial department is hoping the process will help regulate the taxi industry.

Hector Eliott, head of the transport and public works ministry, said notices had been sent to the worst offenders; They were to appear before the department for a two-day hearing in three weeks’ time .

The department was ‘obliged’ to offer the drivers a fair hearing to explain why their operating permits should not be revoked.

Some of the offences include speeding and reckless driving. However, Eliott said the department was “very aware” of the problems many taxi owners faced.

“The driver gets a fine, he can just crumple it up and the owner will never know.”

While there was a law enforcement aspect involved, Eliott said he was “cautiously optimistic” the “message will go to the industry”.

“We really need to start get getting this attitude of reckless, rude and aggressive behaviour out of the system.

“It’s more about growing up and becoming a mature, responsible member of the public transport industry; we also need them.”

Eliott was confident that with more education the industry would start to regulate itself. - Cape Argus

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