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MEC Ismail Vadi for Roads and Transport as well as MEC Nkosi-Malobane for Community Safety met earlier today and vowed to continue with the bid to ensure safety on Gauteng roads. The escalating road accidents and fatalities caused by reckless and negligent driving, excessive speeding, as well as un-roadworthy mini bus taxis necessitated an urgent and decisive action taken through implementation of “Operation ke Molao”.

In just two weeks in operation, over 500 un-roadworthy mini bus taxis were impounded, and a number traffic fines were issued for various vehicle defects and driver fitness.

Both MECs agreed on the following:

• That all un-roadworthy impounded taxis will be released upon payment of the prescribed fees as well as production of temporary roadworthy permits to allow them to go and repair their vehicles.
• That no released taxi should be allowed to operate unless it is repaired.
• That a grace period of two weeks be given to operators with outstanding warrants to organise finance for payments.
• That the reckless and negligent driving operation will continue
• That roadworthy operations be suspended for two weeks to allow repairs to be done and roadworthy certificate obtained.
• The process to register Uber as meter taxi is continuing as it is cheap compared to other service providers, safe due to the application used to tell the name of the driver, vehicle registration, location and commuters do not carry cash but use debit orders as well as the reliability in terms of prior screening for roadworthiness of the vehicle.

Gauteng City Region maintains an open door policy for ongoing interactions with taxi industry to mitigate taxi violence as majority of Gauteng citizens rely heavily on public transport.

There is also a planned Taxi Summit with all operators and taxi drivers scheduled for 10th and 11th June 2016 where both parties will meet to find a lasting solution to the reduction in road accidents and fatalities.

Issued by Gauteng Community Safety