The Department of Transport says it plans to scrap 3,750 taxis in the current financial year, as it pushed forward with its Taxi Recapitalisation Programme (TRP).<\/p>\n
The department lauded the programme as a huge success following the scrapping of over 81,000 old taxi vehicles with a payout of more than R5.6 billion scrapping allowance to taxi operators since its inception in October 2006 to March 2023.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe TRP continues to make significant strides in changing the face of the taxi industry – away from what was normally referred to as moving coffin taxi vehicles, which characterised the face of the industry to modern day safer taxi vehicles,\u201d the department said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The majority of taxi vehicles now meet all the safety requirements that were introduced through the TRP, which included, among others, safety belts and rollover bars.<\/p>\n
When the TRP started in 2006, the target was to scrap 135,000 old taxis, with scrapping allowance set at R50,000.<\/p>\n
Over 81,000 old taxi vehicles have now been scrapped, with the scrapping allowance increased to R151,000 since the beginning of April 2023.<\/p>\n
As TRP approaches its 18th year anniversary in October 2023, the department plans to scrap 3,750 old taxi vehicles in the current financial year.<\/p>\n
The department will continue working with the taxi associations to encourage their members to scrap old taxi vehicles.<\/p>\n
In November 2022, the department identified over 2,300 illegal minibus taxis that were inoperations – specifically, \u00a0Toyota panel vans that were illegally converted into taxis.<\/p>\n
These vehicles had to be surrendered for scrapping under the TRP by 31 January 2023<\/p>\n
Taxi plans<\/strong><\/p>\n The move to scrap illegal taxis in the country coincides with a concerted effort from the government to formalise and professionalize the industry.<\/p>\n