Parliament, Wednesday, 10 June 2020 – The Portfolio Committee on Transport has welcomed the assurances that the Ministry will engage the taxi industry on the matter concerning fare hikes.
The Chairperson, Mr Mosebenzi Zwane, said the fare hikes and the manner they had been implemented could potentially be understood as unreasonable. The commuters should not carry these costs and the government should find a way to resolve this matter amicably.
Everyone has been affected negatively by the lockdown and all the industries are in distress. Unverified reports indicated that some taxi associations intended to hike fares in response to the regulations which stipulates 70% carrying capacity for minibus taxis during the level 3 lockdown.
The committee urges the government to genuinely and honestly engage the associations. The working-class people will definitely struggle with the increased fares at this moment.
The Department revealed that it is awaiting a response from the industry regarding the COVID-19 relief commitment that the government is going to avail to the industry.
The committee welcomed this commitment and called on the industry to take the department up on the offer with the understanding that this was a relief support.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON MR MOSEBENZI ZWANE.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the Committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Sibongile Maputi (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8041
Cell: 081 052 6060
Email: smaputi@parliament.gov.za
Arrange a tour