Africa-Press – South-Africa. Taxi bosses in the Western Cape are up in arms after the provincial government announced it would cancel the Blue Dot taxi project.
The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) held a press briefing on Wednesday to air their dissatisfaction.
Santaco’s Western Cape chairperson, Mandla Hermanus, said they were informed that the Blue Dot taxi project would cease operations at the end of November due to a lack of funding.
“This is a truly sad day for the minibus taxi industry in the Western Cape and for the millions of passengers in the province who rely on our services to get to work each day and to access education, services and other opportunities,” he said.
In 2020, the DA-led provincial government announced an elaborate initiative that would see an incentive programme to reward improved driving and good passenger service.
The Western Cape Cabinet endorsed the pilot project in September 2020. It went live on 15 May 2021, with the participation of approximately 800 minibus taxis across the Western Cape.
“Blue Dot has created a safer public transport service, a better quality of public transport, and a dramatically transformed minibus taxi sector in a very short period. These changes are not the result of adherence to the law only, but rather willing improvements in driving behaviour, the quality of vehicles, and the corporate structure and behaviour of the industry,” said Hermanus.
The MEC for the Department of Mobility, Daylin Mitchell, said: “We have shown that the Blue Dot pilot project works and works well. However, we need the support of the national government to fund the continuation and expansion of this powerful pilot programme. Funding this programme is the mandate of the national department.”
Mitchell said he would be engaging with the national government to support the programme.
“The continuation of Blue Dot remains my top ministerial priority. I call on the national government, business and other stakeholders to join us as we seek to strengthen, grow and empower the minibus taxi industry to provide safer public transport,” he said.
The department has invested R215 million into the project.
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