The Department of Transport has said public transport could lose their operating licenses if found to have been in violent altercations in the industry.
“Serious attention is being given to amending conditions of all operating licenses to explicitly provide for the suspension and withdrawal of operating licenses in terms of section 79(2)(b) where an operator is found to have been party to extortion and racketeering activities,“ said Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula.
Also read: The City of Cape Town engages with disgruntled taxi associations
Furthermore, currently, the provisions of section 79(2) of the National Land Transport Act (NLTA) empower regulatory entities to withdraw or suspend operating licenses under defined circumstances.
“Extortion has become institutionalized in the public transport space, with the taxi industry being the main culprit. This provides a perverse incentive for conflict and violence.
However, these practices are not isolated to Western and Eastern Cape but have spread across all provinces,” the Minister said.
He also added the government is considering several measures to reinforce law enforcement interventions that will stem the violence and considering declaring a nationwide moratorium on the issuing of all operating licenses.
“A countrywide approach is important to undermine the inter-provincial nature of the extortion and racketeering activities that fuel violence and killings.”
The government is also considering implementing urgent measures to build requisite capacity for municipalities to ensure operating licenses are issued based on up-to-date Integrated Transport Plans as required by law.
The government is also looking at putting in place enforceable by-laws to regulate ranking facilities.
This intervention will require coordination at the provincial level to ensure uniformity that can be enforced by law enforcement authorities.
Mbalula emphasized that the legislation that regulates public transport operations provides for several punitive measures for those who wilfully undermine it.
Also read:
Here’s all you need to know about the 75-hour Cape Flats water disruption
Picture: Cape Town Etc {Gallery}