The IFP says road safety is not negotiable and that it is everyone’s responsibility to behave appropriately on the road.

This comes after a recent taxi forum meeting hosted at Sebenza SAPS in Ekurhuleni to create a better working relationship between taxi owners, drivers, and police where taxi operators requested that they must be allowed to drive on a yellow line.

It has been reported that during the meeting the taxi operators said why can’t there be an exception for taxi drivers during rush hour in the morning and afternoon? This is totally outrageous and it is out of order. This is a blatant disregard of traffic rules. As the IFP we reject and condemn this proposal on strongest possible terms because it will contribute to high rate of road fatalities. We urge the police not to compromise the law to suit individuals.

The law applies to everyone on the road whether a taxi or a private person. By compromising the law to please a taxi driver means putting other road users’ lives at risk, and that cannot be possible at all, because there are various reasons why laws are put in place and those reasons cannot be negotiated.

I am therefore urging all road users whether taxi drivers or private drivers to comply with road traffic regulations at all times.

We cannot allow lawlessness on our roads. The continuous and worsening unruly behaviour by some taxis on our roads must not be tolerated. This is what is expected of any civilised and law-abiding citizen in a democratic society like South Africa, and taxi drivers are no exception.

If taxi drivers are allowed to drive on a yellow line, the following day they will ask a permission to be allowed to drive on the oncoming traffic. To deal decisively with reckless drivers we expect the department of transport to apply a no-nonsense approach in apprehending law breakers.

 

Issued by IFP