Taxi drivers urged to talk

Monday, September 11, 2017

Tourism Minister Tokozile Xasa has called on meter cab and Uber operators to urgently engage in dialogue to find lasting solutions to their disagreements.

The Minister expressed concern over incidents of violence between transport operators, which happened in Sandton last week. The Minister is deeply concerned about the potential negative effect of the acrimony on the tourism industry.

“In addition to the needless destruction of property and threat on human life, the general mood of uncertainty, implicit in the violence, threatens the stability of the tourism industry upon which thousands of jobs are reliant,” the Minister said.

She said for any domestic or international tourist, the sense of security is as important as for the ordinary citizen.

“However, both the meter taxicab and Uber operators need to bear in mind the fact that… tourists can elect to visit one place and not another and one country instead of another,” the Minister said.

She said the bad blood between the taxi operators is unhealthy because local passengers can also eventually stop patronising either if the violence continues.

“It is self-evident that the operators are cutting off their noses to spite their faces. No one’s life must continue to be placed in danger because two operators are in disagreement with one another. This must stop,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za