Taxi revamp programme runs into more trouble
April 7, 2006
By Roy Cokayne
Pretoria - The government's multi-billion-rand taxi recapitalisation programme is in trouble again.
Vehicle manufacturers claim not a single available vehicle complies with the compulsory specifications for midi taxis.
The cost of conversions to make vehicles compliant will also increase their prices, they say, making midi taxis unviable.
These claims are in contrast to the upbeat comments last month by transport minister Jeff Radebe about the implementation of the programme from July this year.
DaimlerChrysler South Africa (DCSA) management board member for sales and marketing Fritz von Olst and GAZ South Africa managing director Terry Gregory both believed the programme would not commence this year because of the number of outstanding issues affecting both manufacturers and the taxi industry.
Ian Nel, Iveco South Africa's sales and marketing director, believed the programme would go ahead this year.
One of the major contentious issues is the compulsory fitment of wheelbands, a burst tyre safety device. Other issues relate to the entrance to the vehicle, which may not be a sliding door; the configuration of the seats; and contradictions between the specifications for mini taxis and midi taxis.
Mini taxis are defined as those that are permitted to carry up to 16 passengers while midi taxis may transport between 16 and 23 people.
Nel said a National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA task group had been formed to address and present their concerns about the specifications to the transport department.
"If we comply with the specifications the 30 to 50 percent additional costs, because of things that we don't believe are essential, will make the vehicle unaffordable. It's just not viable for those who buy the vehicle. It goes from a totally viable cost per seat position to where the vehicle makes a huge loss."
Nel said the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) agreed with vehicle manufacturers on this issue and the task group had sent a letter in which it raised all its concerns to the national department of transport in December.
However, Nel said the department responded that it had consulted with the industry and was going ahead with the programme.
Spokespersons for the department and Santaco were unavailable for comment yesterday.
Gregory said the legislation was very poorly drafted, which meant there were "many instances of apparent contradiction and latitude for interpretation, which is not in the interests of the safety requirements of the original taxi recapitalisation programme".
Manufacturers expressed doubts about the effectiveness of wheelbands.
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