Transport and Public Works
With regard to the reported incidents of criminality involving Amaphela taxis operating in Nyanga and the surrounds:
- Whether it has been brought to his attention that criminality has plagued theses taxi operations; if so, what are the relevant details;
- (a) what is the current regulatory and legislative framework that exist to regulate this section of the taxi industry and (b) how are (i) traffic management and (ii) funding administered in township areas, with specific reference to the Cape Flats;
- whether all of these taxi operators are licensed in the specific areas of operation; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
whether the criminality of the Amaphela taxis can be linked to poor regulations and the absence of traffic law enforcement; if not, why not; if so, what is he and his Department doing to address this?
- Yes. Law enforcement authorities have brought it to the attention of the Department that ‘Amaphela’ taxis are often involved in criminality in the Nyanga and surrounding areas. The Department is not privy to the details of criminal cases in which Amaphela taxis may have been involved.
- (a)Amaphela (sedans) are included in the National Land Transport Act under the definition of ‘minibus taxi-type services’, i.e. an unscheduled public transport service operated on a specific route or routes, or where applicable, within a particular area, by means of a motor car, minibus or midibus.
(b)Both traffic management and funding for minibus taxi-type services, including Amaphela taxis are managed by the City of Cape Town as the Planning Authority responsible for public transport planning and operations.
- Not all these operators have valid operating licenses. The reasons for illegal operations are manifold and include, inter alia, elements of organised crime, general lawlessness as well as the unroadworthy status of vehicles, which for safety reasons would preclude such vehicle from being issued an operating licence.
Criminality in the Amaphela environment cannot be linked exclusively to transport regulation. The transport system is used by crime syndicates and criminals as a tool in their illegal endeavours. Traditional law enforcement methods such as roadblocks and impounding have been shown to be ineffective as drivers of illegal taxis warn each other of roadblocks. The Department has introduced technology, including automatic number plate recognition and web-a based system to check for valid operating licences to assist traffic authorities, including the City of Cape Town, in identifying illegal taxis and in so doing planning and executing targeted enforcement operations.
