Taxi associations and police sign MOU to curb hitch-hiking
A number of taxi associations operating on routes from Polokwane have agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The memorandum was signed with law enforcement agencies in order to handle challenges relating to hitch-hiking spots in the city.
In a meeting held at the Polokwane Police Station on Thursday, 15 April, a resolution was taken to form a task team that would have the responsibility of drafting the memorandum which is to be signed by the parties involved.
Johannes Manzini, speaking on behalf of the 11 taxi associations said they have been struggling to keep hitch-hiking under control and it has a negative effect on business.
“If we speak about a route such as Polokwane to Randburg, we usually have around 10 vehicles departing from Polokwane daily but due to hitch-hiking, this number is reduced to around two or three. This means a direct decline in our business leaving most of us out of work.”
According to Manzini, crime at the hitch-hiking spots has also become problematic, with commuters simply going missing.
“We always ensure that every passenger who gets into any of our vehicles is recorded for safety purposes, but those who hitch-hike have no guarantee in terms of safety. When they go missing, we are the first suspects and often we find that the person decided to hitch-hike instead of using a taxi.”
He says the robberies and theft have increased significantly.
“In a recent incident, commuters were stuck along the R37 after hitch-hiking on Church Street and they were left in the middle of nowhere after being stripped of their belongings. If the police and traffic officials can assist us to eradicate hitch-hiking, everyone would be safer and we would also be able to earn our money rightfully.”
He said the drafting and signing of the memorandum would hopefully change the situation for the better.
