Nande Faku

Taxis from from the Eastern Cape in Mthata have now started loading 100% capacity of passengers. This was made clear as a taxi departing from the Mthata taxi rank had been filled up by 15 passengers including the driver.

Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula had announced earlier in the month of June that taxis that do inter provincial long distance travel should load 70% of passengers provided they they wear masks correctly, covering both nose and mouth.

The passengers also have to sanitize and keep all windows open in the taxi.It seems that some of those regulations no longer apply. Luyolo Jamlase who is a taxi driver for the taxis operating between Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal says that SANTACO and taxi drivers and owners decided amongst themselves to load passages at 100%.

“We decided amongst ourselves that it’s better to fully load passengers because we have been suffering for the past 3 months and the government didn’t seem to care,” he said.

“We also saw it fit to increase the price from what it originally was to what it is now. We are thinking about ourselves and our families because the government and the minister of transport does not care about us.” added Jamlase.

The price from Mthata to Durban has now gone up from R210 to R300 meaning it went up by R90 which is a very high jump. This is concerning to many commuters as they expressed how this is unfair on their side in terms of safety and financially.

Picture: iol.co.za