SOWETO, SOUTH AFRICA - DECEMBER 24: Johannesburg Metro Police Officers during the road safety blitz at Chris Hani Baragwanath Taxi Rank on December 24, 2024 in Soweto, South Africa. This campaign is focusing on reducing road traffic accidents and other challenges during the festive season. (Photo by Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)
The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) in Limpopo has concluded its provincial elective conference, where delegates across the province elected new leaders.
On Thursday, at the Bolivia Lodge in Polokwane, the new spokespeople were elected and tasked to steer the organisation into “its next phase of growth and stability”. Chairperson Lesiba Ngwepe was re-elected into the role, alongside a few returning members and some new faces.
New committee
The newly elected provincial committee includes:
- Chairperson: Mr Lesiba Ngqwepe
- Deputy Chairperson: Mr Shitlangu
- Secretary: Mr. Nemahungani
- Deputy Secretary: Mr. Malaka
- Treasurer: Mr. Mphigalala
- Public Relations Officer: Mr. Malia
- Training and Development Officer: Mr. Mogale
- Business Marketing Officer: Mr. Kharidzha
- Conflict Resolution Officer: Mr. Mthombeni
- Human Resource Officer: Mr. Mamorobela
Santaco said the newly appointed leadership will intensify engagements in collaboration with government and others to address challenges in the minibus industry.
“The new administration is committed to working collaboratively to develop sustainable regulatory and enforcement solutions to protect the integrity of the industry,” said Sipho Maloma, the Santaco Limpopo spokesperson.
They are particularly concerned with the rapid emergence of illegal seven-seater vehicles which continue to undermine the livelihoods of law abiding and compliant taxi operators.
What now?
With the re-election of the chairperson, the new administration says it is committed to advancing the interests of the taxi industry across Limpopo. This comes as the country has seen a surge in taxi violence and the National Transport Conference earlier this week discussed the issues.
Santaco Western Cape on Wednesday announced the launch of a new programme called the Taxi Peace Ambassador Programme that has appointed 32 Peace Ambassadors across eight regions in the province.
“They play a critical monitoring role on the ground.”
While they do not replace law enforcement or leadership, their responsibility is to identify potential tensions and help trigger preventative interventions such as mediation, engagement and conflict de-escalation.
“The programme is rooted in the belief that peace is best promoted through dialogue.”
There appears to be a lot of initiatives and meetings aimed at combating the challenges faced in the taxi industry. However, the reality is that the challenges are still a reality, negatively affecting the lives of many who depend on this form of transportation.
Considering the state of the taxi industry and the prominence of related issues, does re-electing members and hosting talkshops alleviate the problems?
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