Gamalakhe taxi fares to increase from August – this is how commuters feel about it, and taxis in general
Gamalakhe's millennials reveal why they don't love taxis, but have to use them.
THE Gamalakhe Taxi Owners Association has announced that taxi fares from Gamalakhe to Port Shepstone and Margate are to increase.
It currently costs R12 to travel from Gamalakhe to town and as from August 1, the price will go up to R13.
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A reminder, issued by South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) chairman, Mandla Mzelemu, was prominently displayed on all taxis operating in the township.
The reminder read, “The Gamalakhe community will remember clearly that we made an announcement about the petrol prices going up everyday, so we are forced to increase the the taxi fare annually. If anyone has a query they should feel free to contact the association.”
Gamalakhe’s ‘millennials’ did not take the news lightly. Nhlanhla Nzuza who works in Port Shepstone and uses taxis daily, said there should be changes made in the way the industry does business before increases are announced.
“Taxi drivers don’t see the problem with packing people on top of each other like loaves of bread, and then charging them full price. On top of this, chances are the driver will drive recklessly and miss your stop because he couldn’t hear you shouting, “after robots”, over that 2016 Babes Wodumo hit. And as you abruptly try to leap out of the taxi with your crushed legs, you are likely to ruin someone’s weave, and upset your co-passengers. The four-seater is not meant to accommodate five people,” explained Nhlanhla.
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Some people from Gamalakhe seem to have a love/hate relationship with the taxi industry, but one can’t deny that they are there to offer a vital service. But taking taxis can be a hassle for passengers, from collecting and counting taxi fare to making sure that the total balances at the end of the shift.
Mpho Phephetha, a pupil in grade 12 at a Margate school, said the reasons for the increase are understandable and fair, but taxi owners need to advise their drivers to change their attitudes.
“As a woman, it’s as if there is a ‘enter at own risk’ policy when you sit in the front seat. You can’t fight it because you ‘chose’ to sit there. So you have to sit pretty and endure the ride. It sometimes feels like it does not matter how you dress, all you have to do is be a woman and the harassment will follow. What’s worse is the taxis will start driving past you if you were to ever voice your frustrations. What is sad though, for some of us, is that we actually have no choice but to use taxis as they remain the cheapest way for us to get around,” said Mpho.
Even though the job of being a taxi driver is simple in theory, drivers often require help from the passengers to collect and count the fares, which is one of the points raised by the millennials – they feel taxi drivers need to start collecting and counting the money themselves.
“I don’t like the ’11th commandment’ that states “he who sits in front shall count the change. Do not fight this, for you will lose”. We don’t know who made this rule but we follow it as if it were cast in stone. Accept that you are the chosen one and start counting. Your quest: to decipher the change for seven people, from a R200 bill, in an overloaded taxi, costing R13 per person. Good luck,” said Mpho.
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