Impressive IPTA lauded for efforts

“We want to change the face of the taxi industry by transforming it through recognising the work of taxi drivers in the country.”This is according to the president of the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO), Mr Phillip Taaibosch.

He was speaking during his visit to Ivory Park on Friday last week.

Among those who attended this function were the provincial leadership of SANTACO, Ivory Park Taxi Association (IPTA) members, IPTA’s Women’s League and queue marshals.

“We are here to say congratulations to the IPTA under the leadership of Mr Johannes Mkhonza and the good work your association is doing with their taxi drivers, whom on that day were seen all dressed up in their suits and ties. I heard good things about your association today. I came in person to see with my own eyes,” said Mr Taaibosch.

“You (taxi drivers) must be aware that you are the most important people in the taxi industry. Taxis becomes nothing without a taxi driver. We are well aware that you don’t want to be called drivers but rather an associate of the taxi industry. You are the most important people in the industry because you ensure your commuters are arriving at work on time,” he said.

According to Mr Taaibosch, the taxi industry is more like a three-legged pot. Once one leg is broken, it is no longer a complete pot so that means a taxi can’t be a taxi without a driver. Likewise, it cannot be a taxi if there are no commuters.

Therefore, the community and the captains of the taxi industry both need each other’s support, one can’t work without the other.

He said statistics show that 78,5 percent of people choose a taxi as their mode of transport.

“The two biggest employers in this country is first the government and number two is the taxi industry. The taxi industry employs millions of people. Everywhere, where there is a rank, there are hawkers or people who are cooking,” said Mr Taaibosch.

He also announced that the chairperson of the IPTA, Mr Mkhonza, had been elected as the provincial chairperson of SANTACO in Gauteng.

He also revealed that SANTACO is going to launch the ambassador’s programme for taxi drivers. Eight members (taxi drivers) per province will undergo customer care training.

He announced that SANTACO will launch a national awards competition, named the South African National Taxi Industry Awards (SANTIA).

The driver who wins the Best Taxi Driver Award will win a fully furnished house and the representative association will get R100 000.

The taxi driver must have his or her name on the vehicle so that commuters can vote.

Chairman of the IPTA, Mr Johannes Mkhonza, said in his closing speech: “This kind of award will give our drivers some sense of dignity by also encouraging them to look clean and neat.”

The awards ceremony will take place at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand in October.