Taxis get disinfected at the Esangweni Taxi Rank in Gauteng.
- Santaco suspends briefing where it intended to discuss its withdrawal from government negotiations.
- Santaco says this comes after its president spoke with the Minister of Transport.
- The body’s leadership is looking at a way forward
The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) suspended a media briefing on Wednesday which was aimed at discussing its “withdrawal from government negotiations” and the taxi fare increases.
“The decision to suspend the press conference comes after a telephonic conversation between the Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula and the president of Santaco, Phillip Taaibosch,” Santaco’s spokesperson Thabiso Molelekwa said in on Wednesday.
The leadership of Santaco held a meeting to plan a way forward on Wednesday, according to Molelekwa.
“In the meeting of the Santaco leadership held today which was a consequence of the telephonic conversation between Transport Minister and the president of Santaco, it was decided that an urgent meeting must be convened with the Minister to express the frustrations of the taxi industry.
READ: Lockdown: Taxi fares to more than double across country in June – Santaco
“These include the long awaited relief fund, the lockdown and how it impacts the work of taxis,” Molelekwa further explained.
Taaibosch was expected to announce the decisions of the national leadership on the (government) compensation fund and taxi fare increases.
Increase
News24 earlier reported that the council announced a price fare increase that was expected to impact every association across the country.
Santaco secretary Ralph Jones told News24 that it would be forced to implement an increase, for example, from R13 to R30 – as of 15 June, as the lockdown has had a harsh effect on its business.
ALSO READ: Lockdown: Santaco wants R250 a day compensation for taxi drivers
Santaco previously announced an independent relief fund which was established in April which sought R250 a day compensation for taxi drivers for the losses they suffered during the country’s then 21-day lockdown.
The independent relief fund is manged by SkX, a Protiviti member firm which provides “consulting solution in internal audit, risk and compliance, technology, business processes, data, analytics and finance”, according to its website.
News24 has reached out to Mbalula’s spokesperson, Ayanda-Allie Paine, whose comments will be added once received.
