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The IFP in Gauteng has welcomed the Gauteng Department of Transport MEC Jacob Mamabolo’s pronouncement to reopen the Soweto Taxi routes which were closed earlier this years following squabbles between Nancefield Dube West Taxi Association (Nanduwe) and the Witwatersrand Taxi Association (Wata).

We are pleased as the IFP that sanity has prevailed in the end and hope that a lasting solution will be put in place to ensure that the people of this province are never again inconvenienced because of the battles involving taxi associations and government. From this experience, we hope that both parties will learn to respect and take each other serious because their fallout also affects commuters who are reliant of this mode of transport.

As the IFP we believe that government must stop being a bystander and intervene in regulating the taxi industry which serves as a large employer and a critical pillar of our country’s public transport sector. It is undeniable that factors such as flawed permit issuing process, delays in the issuing of operating licences, lack of government subsidy and lack of monitoring of taxi ranks fuels the tensions and conflicts within and among taxi associations.

Therefore, the government must work hand in hand with taxi associations to ensure that ours is a safe, reliable and affordable transport system which is necessary for the province’s economic growth, job creation and people’s quality of life.

Issued by The IFP Gauteng