JOHANNESBURG - The Minister of Transport, Joe
Maswanganyi, condemned acts of violence, torching of operators vehicles and
intimidation between the Meter Taxi Operators and the E-Hailing Partners at
Sandton in Johannesburg.
Minister Maswanganyi on Friday
said that all operators of the agreement between government and the both
operators which took place at the 10111 Command Centre in Midrand in July 27 need to abide by the decisions made during that meeting.
The meeting agreed that the
National Land Transport Act of 2009 (NLTA) was the primary piece of legislation
that makes provision for the regulation of road-based public transport. The Act
forms the basis to resolve the challenges confronting the industry. During the
meeting, all parties agreed to uphold and act within the provisions of the Act.
Section 50 of the National
Land Transport Act states that, “No person may operate a road-based public
transport service, unless he or she is the holder of a legal operating license
or a permit”.
Have you read: WATCH: Uber, metered taxis petrol bombed, set alight in Sandton
“This means that anyone who
operates a public transport service for reward without an Operating License
will be violating the law,” Maswanganyi said.
Maswanganyi said all operators
that an operating license was only issued on application made in terms of this
National Land Transport Act (NLTA) by the National Public Transport Regulator,
a Provincial Regulatory Entity or a municipality to which the operating license
function has been assigned, as the case may be, after considering all the
factors.
The Minister said that an operating
license may only be issued to and held by the person registered, in terms of
the National Road Traffic Act, as the owner or operator of the vehicle, as
defined in the Act, and specified in the operating license.
“What should also be
considered by all the operators is that the Act makes provision that all the
vehicles that provide road-based public transport must have sign-age that
identifies them as a provider of public transport service. This is also a
requirement that is provided in the National Land Transport Act,” Maswanganyi
said.
Read also:
He said that to ensure a
safe environment for both the public and public transport operators, the Law
Enforcement Agencies would continuously monitor all the identified hot-spots to
prevent these acts of intimidation and violence.
Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi. Picture: Bongani Shilubane“Perpetrators of violence
and intimidation will be immediately dealt with in terms of the applicable
laws. We call upon members of the public to be vigilant and report any acts of
lawlessness, perceived or real, to the nearest Police Station or to report such
incidences by calling the 0860010111 number”.
Maswanganyi said he would
continuously engage with the Meter Taxi Association and E-Hailing Services
which includes Uber, Taxify and Zebracabs in order to bring stability to the
industry.