The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has emerged from its national elective conference optimistic that those responsible for violence and the murder of taxi industry leaders across the country will soon be brought to justice.
The conference, held at the Birchwood Hotel, brought together delegates from across South Africa to reflect on the organisation’s progress over the past 25 years, assess challenges facing the industry, and elect leadership to guide the next phase of transformation and growth.
Speaking on YOU FM Newshour, SANTACO national spokesperson Rebecca Phala said the conference reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to strengthening unity within the taxi industry while advancing the participation of women and young people.
“This conference has demonstrated that the taxi industry remains united and focused on the future. We are on a trajectory to strengthen unity across all structures while continuing with the formalisation of the industry to ensure employees are properly employed in line with labour legislation and industry standards,” said Phala.
For the first time in the organisation’s history, SANTACO elected a woman into its mainstream leadership structure as National Chairperson.
Phala described the election of Lungiswa Mabija as a significant milestone for the industry.
“What is encouraging is that Lungiswa Mabija was nominated by all nine provinces and was ultimately elected as National Chairperson. It is a step in the right direction, although we acknowledge that it is not yet sufficient for an organisation as large as SANTACO to have only one woman in its mainstream leadership,” she said.
She added that the organisation hopes Mabija’s appointment will encourage greater participation by women within the taxi industry.
SANTACO also reaffirmed its commitment to increasing youth participation and exploring new economic opportunities aimed at modernising and diversifying the sector.
According to Phala, these opportunities include automated fare collection systems, in-transit advertising, onboard Wi-Fi services, fuel supply initiatives, and the establishment of spare parts shops to benefit both operators and commuters.
Meanwhile, following his re-election, SANTACO president Abner Tsebe assured the public that the organisation remains committed to improving service delivery and promoting stability within the taxi industry.
“We want South Africans to know that SANTACO is working tirelessly to promote peace and stability within the industry while ensuring commuters receive a reliable and dignified transport service. There is continued training that still needs to be done for taxi drivers, and we will intensify the implementation of Hlokomela,” said Tsebe.
