/ 11 March 2008

Taxi fares to increase

Minibus-taxi commuters should brace themselves for an increase in taxi fares due to the increase in the petrol price, the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) said on Tuesday.

”We are pressed and we can no longer afford petrol prices. We are forced to put our hands in the commuters’ pockets,” said Santaco general secretary Philip Taaibosch.

Taaibosch was addressing reporters in Pretoria at a briefing that was intended to address the taxi-recapitalisation plan.

However, Taaibosch could not brief reporters about the programme, saying only that he had received advice from the council’s legal experts.

It was not known by how much taxi fares would go up as this was to be decided by the individual taxi associations.

He said fares would be ”intensified” by March 17. — Sapa