Betty takes bronze as Limpopo’s best female taxi driver

POLOKWANE – Betty Kwetepane (33), a female taxi operator from Mankweng says continuous initiatives by the Department of Transport to create road awareness among members of the taxi industry, are commendable.

The department held an awards ceremony on October 29 for those who competed in the 2022 Provincial Taxi Driver of the Year Competition.

During the competition, operators participated in theoretical and practical exercises to assess their understanding of road safety, coupled with teachings from traffic officials.

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“The competition aims to enhance safety on our roads in line with the National Road Safety Strategy of reducing road fatalities by 50% in 2030. It is also done to improve the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the professional drivers and ultimately improving the standard of vehicle driving,” departmental spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene remarked.

Various stakeholders honoured the ceremony with their presence, including members of the department, Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa and the South African National Taxi Council.

Kwetepane, who joined the industry in 2020 won third place, walking away with not just lifelong business lessons but also a R3 000, a supermarket voucher of R500, a trophy and a backpack.

She operates on the Mankweng-Polokwane taxi routes under the Mankweng Taxi Association. The awards were limited to the top five best achievers, with the overall winner, Meshack Mahlare coming from the Apel Taxi Association in the Sekhukhune District.

Although she had not encountered extensive squabbles from commuters, Kwetepane says because of the competition, she is now fully aware of ways to handle any fall-outs from passengers. Furthermore, the competition uplifted her driving skills and communication skills.

“Now I know the benefits of wearing a seatbelt and the repercussions of ignoring the seatbelt,” she added.