DURBAN - A possible increase in taxi fares is on ice due to provincial branches being unable to decide to increase fares without the decision coming from national and the upcoming leadership elections have also thrown a spanner in the works.
Last week, Santaco in KwaZulu-Natal was going to meet and discuss a way forward after the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy announced yet another massive fuel increase from midnight on Wednesday March 2, 2022.
Both grades of petrol increased by R1.46/per litre, diesel increased between R1.44/l and R1.48/l and illuminating paraffin increased by R1.21/l.
Santaco had said the petrol price increase had pushed them to review their decision to suspend fare increases.
In two tweets, Santaco had said: “The petrol price increases for the past 4 months at the very least, has put the industry in a corner. Pressure is too much, we will review our decision to suspend increase.”
“While fuel is a significant cost towards taxi operations, it's not the only cost. All other costs have increased, fuel just happens to be the steepest rise. It pushes us to review. This is now up to our national executive committee to finalise this matter.”
Speaking to the Daily News on Wednesday, Santaco KZN office manager Sifiso Shangase said the decision on increasing taxi fares was in the hands of national leadership.
“As a province we decided to take it to national because we do not have the powers to decide. We will make a submission to national because they are in a position to look at it,” Shangase said.
He added that they did not know when the matter would be addressed because Santaco national leadership elections were going to be held on May 9-11 at Sun City and hopefuls were busy garnering support.
Last week, Shangase had said they were going to look at their mandate and see what adjustments would have to be done. They would look at it in terms of the business but also think about its effects on commuters.
He said another factor they would have to consider was that the increase was linked to the conflict in Russia and Ukraine, therefore, all factors would have to be taken into consideration.
Daily News