Earlier this year, the Transport Department made a commitment to provide the money to the industry in an attempt to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.
FILE: Abandoned taxis were seen at the Bellville taxi rank on 6 August 2018, as a strike got underway in Cape Town. Picture: Cindy Archillies/EWN.
JOHANNESBURG – The National Taxi Alliance (NTA) on Saturday said it wants government to pay out the R1.8 billion promised to the industry within 10 days.
Earlier this year, the Transport Department made a commitment to provide the money to the industry in an attempt to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.
The NTA claims that the money is yet to be paid.
At the beginning of the lockdown, government said it had set aside R1.3 billion to assist the taxi industry after it announced that operators were not allowed to carry full loads.
Minibus taxis were only allowed to operate at specific times with a 70% load capacity to minimise the risks of the spread of COVID-19.
Now according to the NTA, the money is yet to be paid saying the Transport Department has attached conditions to be met before the money can be released.
The NTA’s Theo Molele said: “We were promised that the money would be paid through Sars and there were also stringent measures attached to that. But other people were given relief and there were no stringent measures attached.”
Molele further said added to this the amount was also too little.
He said they represent more than 250,000 minibus taxis and each owner would get just more than R3,000.
Minibus taxis have since been allowed to carry full loads following the relaxation of the lockdown regulations.