Durban — Amid reports of its controversiality, the eThekwini Municipality recently launched phase 2 of the Moja Cruise taxi incentive programme.
The launch of phase 2 comes days after the DA in eThekwini conducted an oversight visit to assess eThekwini’s R200 million taxi incentive programme.
On Friday, the municipality said it took a step further in demonstrating its commitment towards transforming, empowering and formalising the minibus taxi industry by launching the second phase of the Moja Cruise programme.
It said that due to the programme’s success, such as its positive impact on commuters and favourable working relations between the industry and the municipality, the second phase was approved by the Council in July for an additional 500 vehicles into the programme. This brings the total number of vehicles to 1 000.
Municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the programme was in partnership with the eThekwini Metro Taxi Council (EMTC). The main aim of the second phase was centred around passenger safety and an overall safe public transport system.
“The implementation of phase two sees a more technologically advanced tracking and monitoring system, improved quality branding and robust training programmes for drivers,” Mayisela said.
He said that the launch was attended by about 300 minibus taxi industry stakeholders, including owners, drivers, operators, and the city's political and administrative leadership.
He also said that during the event, the new programme elements were showcased, while programme champions provided administrative support to existing and new operators.
“Operators enrolled in the programme were also informed of the benefits that phase two has to offer and of a new non-profit organisation, Public Transport Innovation and Development, that has been tasked with the management of the programme between the city and the EMTC,” Mayisela said.
Human Settlements and Infrastructure Committee whip councillor Cheryl Sisoka praised stakeholders for the successful implementation of Moja Cruise.
“I would like to commend our administration along with EMTC and Public Transport Innovation and Development for finding such a creative and viable local solution to the nationwide challenge – the transformation of the public transport sector. I also applaud the team for the smooth facilitation of Moja Cruise,” Sisoka said.
Mayisela added that Moja Cruise taxis adhered to certain criteria to offer a clean, safe, efficient and customer-oriented service to the public. The vehicles were monitored by the use of tracking devices that monitored driver behaviour, mapped the routes travelled and recorded each vehicle's kilometres to ensure the criteria were met to qualify for the financial incentive.
Following the oversight visit last Monday, DA eThekwini caucus leader Thabani Mthethwa said taxi drivers denied benefiting from the R200 million taxi incentive programme.
Mthethwa said the DA in eThekwini wrote to city manager Musa Mbhele to request an investigation into the programme.
“The oversight has clearly shown contradicting evidence on the issue of drivers being given decent employment contracts. From the many Moja Cruise taxi drivers we engaged with today it is explicitly clear that many do not benefit from this initiative. They were last engaged in 2018 during training, and their driving licences were taken to make copies, and that was the last time they heard about the programme,” Mthethwa said.
“The Moja Cruise taxi that we were able to ride in was in extremely bad condition. The clutch and braking system is in a bad state and the owner is reportedly not keen to maintain these. The taxi is posing serious danger to the driver and passengers. One of the key requirements is to have a maintenance plan for benefiting the taxi.”
Daily News