Publications
Partners
"If we get rid of our taxis and get the R50 000 scrapping allowance which we can spend as a deposit for a new taxi, we won't be able to make ends meet," said Tom Muofhe, president of the SA National Taxi Council, during Radebe's visit to taxi ranks in Pretoria on national Car Free Day.
Muofhe said taxi operators should receive a subsidy similar to that of buses and trains so that they could pay monthly instalments for their new taxis and still have money left for basic needs.
"If they take my taxi away and only give me R50 000, it will kill me. I will not have any money left over for bread," said taxi owner and driver, Peter Sekwele.
Sekwele, who owns one taxi and has been driving it for six years, said with the increasing petrol price and the cost of running a taxi, it was already difficult to make ends meet.
Radebe said he was confident of a bright future for South Africa's public transport as agreements have already been reached with taxi operators.
"I'm very optimistic, especially now that there's a solid agreement between taxi operators and government," Radebe said during a taxi ride around the city.
He said proper law enforcement was the key to making the taxi recapitalisation programme work.
A crowd gathered at Sammy Marks Square in Pretoria on Thursday where Radebe was to donate around 500 bicycles to primary and high schools. He would also take a bicycle ride around the venue.
He was joined by Tshwane mayor Smangaliso Mkhatshwa and Gauteng transport MEC Ignatius Jacobs.
The department of transport said the government was investing R2.7bn to improve rail services and R2.3bn to better the bus subsidy system.
Another R7.7bn has been set aside to improve safety in the taxi industry through the recapitalisation programme.
