POLOKWANE – The Department of Transport’s Spokesperson, Matome Moremi-Taueatsoala, has called on taxi drivers, associations and owners to make sure they comply with the law.

Moremi-Taueatsoala spoke to Review at the provincial department’s testing station in Potgieter Avenue, after 15 mini-buses and taxis were impounded for various traffic violations across the city.

“The vehicles were impounded this morning thanks to a joint operation by Limpopo traffic officials, SAPS and SANDF. The taxis were taken to the Polokwane Testing Station in Ladanna and are currently at the provincial department’s testing station,” said the media liaison officer for the Department of Transport, Mike Maringa.

Maringa added that the drivers had sanitisers with them and that they were compliant.

Moremi-Taueatsoala told Review that this operation is part of the department’s build up to transport month (October) and says they will continue with the unannounced operations in all the districts.

He added that the department are monitoring compliance in accordance with Covid-19 travel regulations as well as compliance with public transport laws.

“These taxis were impounded because they do not have operational licenses. Four of these taxis’ drivers did not have professional driving permits (PDP’s) and two were discontinued because they are not roadworthy.”

The license disks on these taxis will be flagged on the department’s system until they are fixed, afterwhich they will have to undergo a roadworthy test before picking up passengers. “Some have had their vehicles returned to them after paying the impound fee of R5 000,” he explained.