The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) in Mpumalanga did not increase their taxi fares albeit their counterparts in other regions and provinces did after fuel hiked to R17 per litre of petrol.
South African motorists were warned to be prepared for the fuel price increase days before it came to effect on Wednesday.
Santaco provincial chairperson, Fanyana Sibanyoni, said as Santaco in Mpumalanga they were not going to increase the price as it would be a major blow to their passengers amidst this Covid-19 pandemic. “We are still in the Covid-19 pandemic situation and most of our passengers have lost their jobs and some are unemployed. Santaco in Mpumalanga does not operate the same way as other regions and provinces do. We care for our passengers,” Sibanyoni said.
“We are disappointed in Minister Fikile Mbalula after promising that we were going to be compensated as the taxi industry at the beginning of April but to date nothing has come forth. Even if the situation has led to the situation of petrol hikes and being not compensated but we cannot allow our clients to suffer on our behalf. All we want is the minister to do right by us,” he said.
A taxi user in Emalahleni, Phola, Thandiwe Twala said she was feeling sorry for the motorists who have to fill in petrol everyday, “but we are happy that Santaco here has not increased the taxi fare. We were not going to keep up as many of us have lost their jobs and some have their salaries decreased. They are no longer earning like before so it was going to be a blast in our face to increase the fare.”
Another commuter, Mthobisi Nkosi said it was not fair that taxi prices should constantly increase every year, “while our salaries remained not increased. South Africa is still battling poverty, Covid-19 and unemployment. We cannot afford the increase.”
Petrol has increased by R1 a litre while diesel has increased by between 63 and 65 cents. The Automobile Association (AA) attributed the hikes to international oil prices and fuel levies among other factors.
