The taxi industry should be regulated

The taxi industry doesn't care about its customers

 Commuters deserve fairness. They are already burdened by high food prices and the taxi industry is adding insult to injury.

By Anorth Mabunda

Not only are they rude towards commuters, they also abuse the system. That’s the taxi drivers and their greedy bosses for you. This industry doesn’t give a damn about its customers.

 The petrol price has dropped by R1.40 a litre over the past two months but more than 70 percent of South Africans are still paying high on taxi fares. Commuters deserve fairness, they are already burdened by high food prices and the taxi industry is adding insult to injury.

The government should intervene in this sector and control the way in which these hooligans can charge fares. SANTANCO should have an economist who will help its allies analyse the markets before inflating prices.

For an example, towards the end of May in Thembisa, Midrand, the Ivory Park Taxi Association (Ipta) made announced that from June 1 all local and town fares will increase by R1. 50. The same day in which commuters had to dig deeper into their pocket, the Minister of Energy Dipuo Peters, announced that the petrol price will drop by 55c and today93 and 95 octane unleaded petrol fell by 85 and 89 cents.

Further drops are expected with some economists saying petrol could be cut by between 90 and 95 cents next month, but to the taxi guys it’s an opportunity of making “extra-tshelete” at the expense of voiceless commuters.

The sad part is that the day before the fare increases on June 1, Brent crude of oil was trading below $90 per barrel after reaching a record high of more than $120. Had the government intervened, the increases would have been halted.

And mind you, in May we heard about the so-called SA Taxi Passengers Association who disrupted taxi operations in Johannesburg when they marched to the Department of Roads and Transport, leaving thousands of commuters stranded. If these guys are a “real passenger association”, why don’t they stage another protest and force all other don’t-give-a-commuter taxi associations to reduce their burdening fares?

Thanks to the Akasia Taxi Association which gave its customers what they deserve by slashing fares from R15 to R12. This is the same price that these lucky commuters of Rabokala, Hebron, Madidi, Klipgat and Erusmus paid in 2008.

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