The Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, announced today the 25th of March 2020 that taxis will be allowed to transport essential service workers and those allowed to make permitted movements during the National Lockdown from this Friday until the 16th of April 2020.
The taxi industry is the lifeblood of the South African economy with 69% of households relying on minibus taxis to get to work according to Transaction Capital. The billion dollar industry will continue to operate during the national lockdown announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday.
However, transport movement in this regard will only be limited to during morning and afternoon peak times of 05:00 to 09:00 and 16:00 to 20:00. The Minister said the taxi industry must play a role in preventing the spread of the Coronavirus by putting measures in place to adhere to social distancing, sanitizing all taxis after every trip and sanatizing taxi ranks at regular intervals. Mbalula added that the government will provide assistance if appropriate.
Furthermore, as part of the relief measures for small businesses in distress as announced by the President, those Quantums that have been financed by the National Taxi Finance administered by the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA) will be granted a 3 months repayment holiday.
The Ivory Park Taxi Association confirmed that taxis will be operational during the 21 day lockdown. Taxi ranks in Ivory Park 2, Ivory Park 3 (Kopanong Shopping Centre) and Kaalfontein will be open.
Uber, Bolt, Taxify and Metered cabs will also operate during the lockdown. The vehicles will be allowed to transport essential service workers and those that are permitted to make necessary movements. It will be the responsibility of the employer to provide permits to employees that will make them identifiable as essential service workers.
Essential service workers include employees that work at pharmacies, grocery stores, filling stations, banks, laboratories, hospitals amongst others.
