GAUTENG. – Santaco (South African National Taxi Council) has not yet made a decision on possible taxi fare increases and further consultations and meetings will take place before the organisation reaches a decision.
Mmatshikhidi Rebecca Phala, Santaco's national spokesperson, said the organisation's national office bearers decided on Tuesday in Kempton Park to further consult with the taxi industry, fuel industry and government on the impact of the latest fuel price increases. Santaco will, among other things, discuss the financial impact on taxi operators, employees and commuters, and work with fuel suppliers and business partners to look at possible measures to ease the pressure on the industry.
The matter will also be tabled before Santaco's national executive committee, which meets today, Wednesday. Further talks with the national Department of Transport and other relevant government role-players will also be held. Santaco says any possible change in taxi fares will only be considered after all options have been investigated. The organisation is meanwhile appealing to commuters to remain calm and not to react to speculation about possible fare increases.
Read the full statement in English below:
SANTACO RESOLVES TO FURTHER CONSULT INDUSTRY ON IMPACT OF FUEL PRICE INCREASES
The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has resolved to undertake further consultations with the taxi industry, the fuel industry and government following the latest devastating increases in fuel prices and the continued uncertainty surrounding fuel costs.
The resolution was taken during the Council's National Office Bearers (NOB) meeting held in Kempton Park earlier today, where the leadership considered the impact of rising fuel costs on taxi operators, employees across the industry and commuters.
As part of the consultations, SANTACO will engage its industry members to assess the impact of the fuel-price increases, while also engaging fuel suppliers and business partners on possible cushioning measures that could be achieved through the industry's collective buying power.
SANTACO will further engage the National Department of Transport and other relevant government stakeholders on possible solutions to mitigate the impact of rising fuel costs on the taxi industry and the travelling public.
At this stage, SANTACO is making no announcement regarding possible taxi fare increases. The Council recognises that any adjustment to fares has a direct impact on commuters and therefore believes that all possible options must first be explored before a position is reached.
The Council's objective is to arrive at an ideal and sustainable solution that takes into consideration the interests and financial realities of taxi operators, employees within the industry and commuters, particularly at a time when all sectors of society are experiencing significant economic pressure.
SANTACO will continue with its consultations and will table the matter before its National Executive Committee (NEC) which sits tomorrow for further consideration. The Council will communicate its position once a collective decision has been concluded.
SANTACO therefore appeals to the public and commuters to remain calm and not act on speculation regarding possible fare increases. No decision to increase taxi fares has been announced by SANTACO at this stage.
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
