South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday called on all stakeholders involved in the taxi industry to practice professionalism amid concern that the sector is increasingly becoming violent.
Ramaphosa said this when he virtually officiated the opening of the National Taxi Lekgotla (Summit), which is discussing ways to find a coherent solution to help the chaotic transport sector shed off its violent image of having fatal shootings on a regular basis.
The president said the government would engage with the taxi stakeholders to discuss how to create a safe and sustainable industry in the country.
“This summit must be a turning point for an industry that is too often associated with disregard for the rule of law and the rules of the road, the abuse of customers and conflict.
“We must speak as one on the need for professionalism. We must seriously and honestly confront associations of the taxi industry with sexism and gender based violence,” Ramaphosa said.
He emphasised the importance of unity in the taxi industry, saying it was key to ensure the sector’s formalisation and economic empowerment.
“We salute you all for keeping our country going. We give you our assurance that we remain committed to doing whatever is necessary to bring the industry into the mainstream of our economy so that the service that you provide can be improved.
“As I have called on other sectors that are key to our economy, let us use this opportunity presented by Covid-19 to build our economy,” Ramaphosa said.
According to him, at the heart of all “our endeavours, is the formalisation, regulation and economic empowerment in the sector.”
“This three-pronged strategy reflects the recommendations of the National Taxi Task Team set up in 1995 to look at challenges facing the industry.”
Therefore, these challenges could be met in having the taxi industry work with government towards the sector’s formalisation and economic empowerment as a must, the president added.
NM/jn/APA