Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula, has amended
public transport regulations to accommodate concerns from the taxi industry
around regulations implemented to minimise the spread of Covid-19 during a
21-day lockdown
This comes after Mbalula met with the Taxi Council,
Santaco, and the National Taxi Alliance on Monday.
The transport minister said that during the
lockdown, transport vehicles must reduce the number of maximum passengers to
70% of the licensed capacity if the passengers are not wearing masks.
According to the Government gazette, a minibus
taxi licensed to carry 10 passengers will now be limited to carrying a maximum
of seven passengers, while those licensed to carry 15 passengers are limited to
10. A midi-bus permitted to carry a maximum of 22 passengers are now permitted
to carry 15, while a vehicle licensed to carry a maximum of four passengers is
now allowed to carry two people.
The City of Cape Town says as from Saturday, 4
April 2020, during the morning peak-hour period, minibus drivers will be
allowed to travel to the pickup points as from 4a.m, but may only start loading
passengers at 5a.m. The municipality says all passengers must be offloaded by
11a.m, and that no passenger may board the taxi after 10a.m.
During the afternoon peak-hour period,
passengers can board taxi’s from 4 p.m and must be offloaded by 9p.m, and no
passengers may board the taxi after 8p.m.
Furthermore, Golden Arrow Bus Services and
MyCiTi bus services says buses are operational with the times that have been
gazetted.
Done By: Mitchum George
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