Taxi fare to increase in August: Santaco
A commuter inspects the revised list of taxi fares north of the city. These prices are going up tomorrow, just as the fuel price increases yet again. Picture: Bongani Shilubane/African News Agency (ANA)
JOHANNESBURG – South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) on Tuesday said taxi fares for local and long distance operations would increase on Wednesday, with a further review due in June 2019.
Santaco spokesperson Thabisho Molelekwa said as from Wednesday the increase for local distance taxis will be between R1 and R10 while long distance taxi rides would cost between R1 and R20 more.
“These increases may be more in some areas especially long distance operations. Not to mention the preceding years of business pressure, for the January 2017 – January 2018 period alone the petrol price has increased with 130 percent.”
There was also a further fuel levy increase in 2018.
Molelekwa said Santaco regretted the impact of these increases on commuters, especially the poor, but without the fare hikes many taxi operators would struggle to stay in business and continue to offer a much needed service.
“We dismiss media reports that the taxi industry will be part of the planned petrol price strike that seeks to force government to ease petrol price strain on motorists.
“The taxi industry feels the pinch of the petrol price, Santaco believes a taxi strike on petrol is not an option for now,” said Molelekwa.
He said they wished to meet with the President Cyril Ramaphosa in order to find alternative ways of managing the pressure on taxis.
– African News Agency (ANA)
Source: iol.co.za