North Coast taxi fare prices set to increase come July 1
Santaco treasurer Bongani Mkhwanazi told the Courier that the increase was not motivated by the lockdown even though the industry had been hugely affected.
While most residents are still trying to navigate their financial route through lockdown, the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has announced that all associations will put up prices from July 1.
Santaco treasurer Bongani Mkhwanazi told the Courier that the increase was not motivated by the lockdown even though the industry had been hugely affected.
“Every July all taxi associations increase their prices,” he said.
Mkhwanazi said some taxi owners were in danger of losing their vehicles because they could not afford the installments.
Since lockdown started, taxis are only allowed to carry 10 passengers instead of 15, which he said left them with no profit.
“We are now working for installments and to pay our drivers. It is a bit better for those who have more than one taxi because the one taxi will assist to pay for the installment of the other taxi.”
The Dolphin Coast taxi association will be adding R1 to each trip, which means a trip to KwaDukuza from Ballito will increase from R17 to R18.
New prices from Ballito are:
- Shakaskraal R13.- Etete R14.
- Groutville, Melville and Ntshawini R15.
- Tongaat R16.
- Durban R30.
KwaDukuza taxi association are adding R1 to local trips and long distance prices are still being confirmed.
Mandeni taxi association has added R1 to local trip and R10 to long distance trips.
Isiqalokuhle taxi association (Tongaat) are adding between R1 and R2 for local trips and up to R10 for long distance journeys.
Residents said they were worried because they do not know how they will manage to pay the increased fares.
One of those was Fikile Ngiba from Etete who said she recently got back to work and she is working sporadically.
“This is scary, because food is expensive and with the transport money going up I really do not know how will I will cope,” said Ngiba.
Shayamoya resident Cebile Gumede said she was worried because with her salary being cut, she was already struggling to manage her grocery bill.
“We might think that R2 more a day is not much, but for someone who is struggling, it is a lot of money,” said Gumede.
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