The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has never imposed any form of transportation onto the public.
In a media statement, National Spokesperson for SANTACO Mmatshikhidi Phala said they noted with concern false statements on social media suggesting that the council has instructed South Africans not to use their own vehicles.
“Any individual making such claims is not, and has never been, speaking on behalf of the council. The council strongly condemns these acts in the strongest terms,” Phala said.
This comes after posts on social media that said taxi drivers (SANTACO members) are saying that South Africans are not allowed to have more than one passenger in their cars. The post went on to say that it doesn’t matter if it’s your kids, family, friends, or colleagues, if they catch you with more than one person in your car, they could damage it, crash it in public, or even burn it.
Phala said like all other paid-for transport services, taxi operations are voluntary and remain a choice available to commuters.
“Only law enforcement authorities hold the legal mandate to enforce regulations relating to transport in South Africa. We encourage members of the public to report any incidents of harassment or unlawful enforcement directly to law enforcement agencies.”
Phala said SANTACO remains committed to serving South Africans with integrity and transparency.
