Abstract
M.Comm.
The Taxi Recapitalisation Programme (TRP) was first announced by the Government in 1999. It was originally recommended by the National Taxi Task Team (NTTT) as a strategy to transform and regulate the South African Combi-Taxi Industry (SACTI) into a “new” taxi industry. Its aims were to improve the quality of combi-taxi transport in South Africa by taking a number of steps, including institutionalising the industry, changing the licencing system, regulating the industry and replacing old vehicles with new ones. Since that time, however the TRP has been plagued by controversy and its implementation has fallen behind schedule.
The study‟s key research aim has been to investigate and assess perceptions of taxi associations (taxi owners) with regard to the TRP. The study took place in Temba, near Hammanskraal, approximately 55 kilometres north of Pretoria. Temba is taken as a “microcosm” of SACTI in that it can be regarded as typical of many other areas in the country.
A background is provided to the regulatory legislation of the public transport system of the apartheid Government and the general historical and economic development of the SACTI prior to 1994. It deals with the periods from 1930-1976, 1977-1985 and 1986-1993, and then explores the legislative and policy framework of the public transport system of the post-1994 democratic government up to 2008. It introduces the NTTT and its recommendations before analysing the economic effects likely to be felt by taxi associations following implementation of the TRP.
The study then presents the results of a brief demographic profile of a sample of taxi owners and operators in the Temba area and identifies a number of factors that influence their attitudes towards the industry in general and their perceptions of the TRP in particular. It assesses the progress made with the implementation of the TRP since its inception and identifies critical issues that have delayed the project. Having been scheduled to span the five years from 2001 to 2005, the date of completion of the TRP was later extended to 2007. By 2010 the project was still only partially complete. Due to repeated delays, the project appeared to be running aground and was perceived by many as a fruitless and wasteful exercise. Indeed, these delays have undermined the goals of transport regulation which, inter alia, were intended to promote the welfare of the public (safety, security, satisfaction, health and protection of property) and to improve the quality of public transport generally.
By linking the demographic profile of the taxi owners with the various perceptions, the study has been able to draw conclusions and make findings intended to contribute towards the successful implementation of the TRP and thereby assist SACTI to play a more effective role in the overall transport situation in South Africa.
The study concludes that taxi associations in Temba have perceived the TRP to be a good proposal but difficult to implement. It therefore makes a number of recommendations that will hopefully assist in the transformational process of changing SACTI “old” taxi industry into a “new” taxi industry, and so enhance the economic strength of taxi owners and operators, as well as improve the welfare of the users of taxi transport services, not only in Temba but throughout the country.