Gauteng’s MEC for roads and transport, Mr Jacob Mamabolo held a courtesy meeting with the provincial leadership of the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) as part of industry-wide consultations.
At the meeting Mamabolo was briefed, about various issues facing the taxi industry across the Gauteng City Region, particularly the industry’s competitiveness in an economy that is experiencing growth problems.
“Our most apex priority is to modernise the minibus taxi industry, which remains one of the biggest industries in our sector. We need to assist the industry so that it takes full advantage of other streams of business that are around the sector so that they don’t rely only on their vehicles for income,” said the MEC Mamabolo.
He added that the meetings were positive and laid solid grounds for a healthy working relationship between the Department of Roads and Transport and the minibus taxi industry. Both parties agreed that violence and unrest in the industry was destroying opportunities within that sector to become even more formalised and boost its contribution to the economy.
The meeting formed part of the preparations for this year’s Taxi Summit set to take place in the Sedibeng District Municipality at the end of July.
“We are very pleased with the reception that our message for a united and sustainable taxi industry is being received by stakeholders in the sector. I truly believe that there is a real opportunity to bring in innovation that will change the face of this important industry that was built by our people,” Mamabolo added.
