Taxi association forum launched by Sebenza SAPS

SEBENZA SAPS and various taxi associations joined hands to launch a safety forum on May 5 at the Sebenza Police Station.

The aim of the forum is to act as a link between the police and the taxi associations in order to have the lines of communication open.

Representatives from the Kempton Park Taxi Association (KETA), the Ivory Park Taxi Association (IPTA), the Lethabong Taxi Association and the Faraday Taxi Association attended. Also in attendance were the Johannesburg Tembisa Taxi Association (JTTA), the Tata Taxi Association (TATA), the Germiston Taxi Association, the Alexandra Taxi Association (ATA), the Greater Alberton Taxi Association and the EMPD.

The first meeting was held on April 14 to discuss crimes committed by taxi drivers and the overall treatment and safety of passengers.

“It was mentioned that some taxi drivers drop off their passengers in unsafe areas, where they end up being robbed or even raped. Passenger safety is very important and taxi drivers must ensure that passengers are not dropped off in unsafe areas. Customer service must come first. Some drivers do not obey the rules of the road and sometimes drive in the wrong lanes and skip traffic lights,” said spokesperson of Sebenza SAPS, Sgt Sharon Tsotsotso.

It was also suggested that taxi owners should put tracking devices on their taxis to monitor the movement of their taxi drivers and to prevent their taxis from being used for criminal activities.

“The role of a squad and their boundaries is to ensure there is smooth operation between the drivers and the commuters. This is also to ensure that the rules and regulations are being adhered to. Taxi drivers also have a responsibility to ensure they do not operate outside their designated jurisdiction unless it was for a valid reason,” Tsotsotso added.

“By having a forum, it will help to bridge the communication gap between taxi owners and the police, as many issues will be discussed with the representatives of the taxi associations as and when they arise.”

It was also stated that if taxi drivers are attacked by a taxi patroller, they need to report it to the association they work with and not to the SAPS, but there were some objections to that idea as any crimes, including assault, should be reported to the police.

The forum will meet again on May 19 to vote for the executive of the forum.