Taxi operators have every right to express their frustrations about their working conditions and poor state of taxi ranks in areas of their operations. Just as it’s their constitutional right to peacefully assemble and openly express their frustrations, it’s no question
that their voices can no longer be ignored.
They too have the right to fair working conditions, as well as the right to conduct their businesses in safe and healthy manner like other modes of public transport. In the same manner that airports, bus and train facilities continue to receive special attention when it comes to infrastructure spent, taxi operators too have the right to healthy working environment.
It’s no wonder that countless taxi operators have, through their relentless actions, have exposed how government resources including monies allocated for the refurbishment or development of new taxi ranks have gone missing or simply to waste, pointing to the same trend of how unscrupulous contractors are alleged to colluded with certain government officials or politicians in these corrupt activities that continue to undermine proper functioning of the taxi industry.
What makes matters worse is that some projects despite being paid for in advance ends up being abandoned or demolished with no consequences.
In some cases, additional millions are approved for remedial work for some of the incomplete facilities to meet building standards in order for the projects to be realised.
The impact of incomplete or abandoned taxi rank projects have far reaching implications and consequences that goes beyond the taxi industry; it affects communities, commuters, small businesses, and taxpayers as they carry the tax burden to finance them over and over again.
Lack of proper taxi facilities also contributes to loss of income, and in some cases, it creates unfair competition between licensed and illegal taxi operators as they both end-up having no choice but to ferry commuters to their destinations on the side of the road.
What is of major health concern is that operators who lack proper facilities such as descent stations to wash their vehicles or safer bathrooms / ablution facilities for both taxi operators and passengers at the ranks. Commuters can also not be expected to relieve themselves in the street as it is currently the case in certain areas like in Kimberly CBD.
It’s about time that the taxi industry deals head on with this despicable corruption, maladministration and utterly wasteful expenditure and extensively engages the government to ensure taxi ranks are part of the national integrated infrastructure plan and not an afterthought.
