Transport Department Plans to Take Over 3 000 Old Taxis off SA Roads in Bid to Make Public Transport Safer

• The South African government has detailed its plan to make using taxis safer by scrapping unroadworthy vehicles
• The Department of Transport will give taxi operators an allowance to get over 3 000 old taxis off the road through the TRP
• In the 18 years since its inception, the TRP has taken 81 000 old and dangerous taxis off SA's roads

PRETORIA - The Department of Transport has detailed its plans to get 3 750 old and dangerous taxis off the road in a bid to make public transport safer.

Government to scrap over 3 000 cars through taxi recapitalisation programme

The department plans to scrap the vehicles within the current financial year through its 18-year-old taxi recapitalisation programme (TRP).

Transport spokesperson Collen Msibi said the TRP has been an 18-year push to change the face of the taxi industry.

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Msibi lauded the programme's past success, claiming that 81 000 taxis that were not roadworthy have been scrapped since 2006 with over R5.6 billion in scrapping allowance paid out to taxi operators, TimesLIVE reported.

Government pushes to formalise SA taxi industry

According to Business Tech, the transport department's continued efforts to scrap illegal taxis come as the government makes moves to formalise and professionalise the industry.

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) has laid plans in which the public transport system will be upgraded and integrated with emerging technologies. The upgrades will have to include minibus taxis.

Video shows heroic petrol attendant saving passengers from burning taxi, Mzansi applauds bravery: “Soldier”

In another story, Briefly News reported that you see cars catching on fire at petrol stations in movies all the time, but you never think you’ll be living the scene.

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Recently this happened at a local petrol station, and the star of the show was a heroic petrol attendant who risked his life to save others.

Unfortunately, we live in a time when selfless acts of kindness are becoming rarer and rarer. Seeing a man risk his life to save others is a reminder that good people still exist.

Source: Briefly News