The Western Cape branch of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has broken ranks from its Mpumalanga counterpart regarding a so-called public lift ban, following a hectic incident where a motorist was “fined” R2500 for giving a potential taxi customer a ride.
The chairperson of Mpumalanga Santaco, Fanyana Sibanyoni, announced on national television that they had “the authority” to prevent motorists from picking up hitch-hikers aka potential passengers on public roads.
“It’s our business. They are infringing on our rights because as taxi operators, we are the only ones who have a permit to pick up passengers,” Sibanyoni said in an interview with Newzroom Africa.
A trending video on social media depict Santaco “patrollers“ intimidating and obstructing drivers who offered a ride to a pedestrian.
According to IOL, Santaco spokesperson, Mmatshikhidi Rebecca Phala said that if a motorist is travelling along a highway and spot a hitch-hiker along the way, you can stop and offer them a lift. However, if you charge that person for giving them a lift, then you are encroaching on taxi driver territory.
However, Santaco in the Western Cape says they don’t operate that way.
Spokesman Makhosandile Tumana says they would never implement a “lift- ban” in the Western Cape: “Not at all, our operations are totally different.”
In a statement on Santaco Western Cape’s Facebook page, they said the newly trending video was old.
“Based on the recent news surrounding a statement by a SANTACO representative warning motorists not to pick up hitchhikers, SANTACO Western Cape highlights the misappropriation of this old video clip and that it does not represent the views of the province,” the post read.
Additionally, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said preventing mense from hitch-hiking is a violation of their rights.
During a recent site visit to the Moloto Road upgrade in Marble Hall, Limpopo, the minister said: “I think that if we want to give our friends lifts we are allowed to do that, obviously if we are providing a public service that is a different matter.”
Byron Lukas
www.dailyvoice.co.za
