Opposition parties have called on Minister of Transport Dullah Omar to send the government’s taxi recapitalisation programme back to the drawing board and start from scratch, saying the ”wheels have come off” the programme.
This follows a decision by the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday to grant an urgent interdict to stop the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the government and the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco).
The ruling in favour of the Kwazulu-Natal Taxi Council was made barely 40 minutes before the signing ceremony was to take place in Pretoria.
The council contended its members had not seen the contents of the agreement.
The court order gave Santaco 30 days to provide the KwaZulu-Natal Taxi Council with a copy of the memorandum of understanding that would have been signed.
On Thursday, Democratic Alliance transport spokesperson Stuart Farrow said it would be a travesty if the programme continued on its current path.
”Too many role players with direct interests in this industry have been left out of the loop,” he said.
The DA questioned the process of consultation that supposedly took place between Santaco and its affiliates.
”Obviously many taxi associations have been kept in the dark in regard to decisions being taken by Santaco on behalf of its members.
”Santaco and the minister cannot continue to adopt a top-down approach concerning the decisions affecting the livelihoods of 97 000 taxi operators in the country.
”It is time for the minister to go back to the drawing board.
”He must revisit important aspects such as affordability, equity and types and size of vehicles before he does anything else,” Farrow said.
Earlier, United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa said in a statement the court’s ruling indicated it was in agreement with the view that the government had not properly consulted with stakeholders in the taxi industry.
However, Minister of Trade and Industry Alec Erwin said on Wednesday the ruling would not affect the programme.
”The process continues as before. We are not in any way stopped from doing anything,” Erwin told reporters in Pretoria.
The memorandum of understanding dealt with practical aspects of putting the programme into action, and with empowerment in the taxi industry, he said.
Omar said there were some misconceptions about the programme.
No one was compelled to take part in the project. It was up to individual operators to decide whether or not they wanted to take advantage of the programme, he said.
The recapitalisation programme aims to replace about 97 000 ageing minibus taxis with safe, efficient 18- and 35-seater vehicles, and to regulate and empower the taxi industry. — Sapa