Issued by: Office of the Deputy President
CAPE TOWN, 8 March 2000
Deputy President, Jacob Zuma met with representatives from the National Taxi Alliance (NTA) at Tuynhuis in Cape Town this afternoon. The meeting took place at the request of the NTA whose delegation was composed of 19 representatives of various organisations from all provinces.
The purpose of the meeting was to raise certain issues relating to the recapitalisation of the taxi industry which are of concern to the NTA.
Among the issues discussed were:
The members of the National Taxi Alliance assured the Deputy President that they support and applaud government initiatives to regulate the industry. They also reported that they had a meeting with the taxi drivers to discuss their negative activities, which they formally distance themselves from. They made an undertaking to co-operate while the discussions continue and to not disrupt the visit to South Africa by FIFA. They then asked the Deputy President to convey an apology to the President on behalf of the taxi industry for a demonstration held by some taxi drivers that was directed at him.
The Deputy President then undertook to convey the concerns of the National Taxi Association to the President and to the relevant departments and ensure that there is interaction with all the players in the industry. He also undertook to discuss the issues raised with regard to the situation in the taxi industry in KwaZulu Natal. He will report back to them in due course and has invited them to contact him should the need arise in future.
He stressed the importance of involving all the players to ensure that everyone is one board and to ensure a good image of the taxi industry.
He will convey their apology to the President.
For further details please contact: Mathula Magubane 082 371 1315