PREMIER MABUZA’S MEETING WITH MPUMALANGA PROVINCIAL TAXI COUNCIL EVADES MASSIVE TAXI STRIKE PLANNED FOR FRIDAY

08 November 2017

Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza’s meeting with the Mpumalanga Provincial Taxi Council has evaded a much-talked about strike by the taxi drivers throughout the province initially planned for Friday 10 November 2017 this week.

This means there will be no disruptions on the roads, as it was feared, except that the taxi associations will only be briefing their members about the resolutions of today’s meeting with Premier Mabuza.

At a meeting today, the provincial taxi council handed over their memorandum to the Premier demanding that the provincial government should amongst others stop the awarding process of the scholar transport tenders, and that the provincial government should give contracts to the local people.

Further, they demanded that the Premier should ensure that all outstanding payments to the bus operators should be paid immediately. They also demanded that they should be allowed back to their routes within 48 hours.

The Premier responded saying their issues were genuine, however they did not have to cause hostility, rather they should present their proposals to government in an organised fashion.

The meeting agreed that there would be no more sub-contracting. There will be a technical team to ensure that everything is done according to legislation. All contracts will be direct with the Department of Public Works Road and Transport.

The current 80 – 20 percentage split of scholar transport contract by main and local operators will now change to 60 – 40 split with the intention to grow it to 50/50 after three years as applicable.

The 60 – 40 percentage-based contracts will be negotiated and will be for duration of three years. This arrangement is for the current operators. Further all participating vehicles will be tested on a regular basis.

The meeting further agreed that the contracts should be awarded to people who owned buses, however prior to awarding of the contract, their premises should be inspected.

The Department of Public Works Roads and Transport should attend to the delays in the issuing of operating licenses or permits for local operators. It was also tasked to establish a database of all bus operators within the taxi industry.

All court interdicts against the taxi operators by the main bus operator, Habana, will be withdrawn with immediate effect. The department should ensure that payments of outstanding invoices are made accordingly.

The Premier will convene a follow-up meeting in two-weeks time to check whether all the resolutions are being implemented.

“Your issues are genuine, however if we need to solve problems, we must sit down and talk, you are more than welcome to come to my office to discuss issues with me,” said Mabuza.

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