GOVERNMENT WORKING WITH TAXI INDUSTRY AND VOLUNTEER TEAMS TO STOP SPREAD OF COVID-19

Gauteng Public Transport and Road Infrastructure MEC, Jacob Mamabolo and Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) Executive Mayor, Councillor Gift Moerane sanitized minibus taxis at the Vanderbijlpark taxi rank on Monday (20 March 2020).
MEC Mamabolo and Mayor Moerane were joined by the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Transport and Infrastructure in Sedibeng District Municipality, Councillor James Dlangamandla and SANTACO Gauteng PRO Midday Mali, in sanitizing minibus taxis and the rank.

Carrying large containers filled with sanitization liquid, volunteer teams from Outsurance and the Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers, worked with the drivers to sanitize all the taxis, inside and outside.

All volunteers wore personal protective gear.

Later in the day, the sanitization program moved to the Sebokeng Plaza taxi rank, where more taxis and the rank were sanitized.

Leading the day’s activities, MEC Mamabolo called for all attendees at the event to practice social distancing. “We are in Sedibeng as part of our ongoing work in regions of the province. Since the pronouncement of the lockdown, we have been busy making sure that transport doesn’t become the weak link in the spread of the virus. No single taxi will be the carrier of the virus, this is in order to protect commuters,” he said.

Mayor Moerane urged commuters to keep taxi ranks clean. “We will continue with the program of keeping taxi ranks clean and urge commuters to stop littering,” he said.

Mali said the taxi industry welcomed the visit by the provincial government. “We are happy with this event and have already started preparing for a possible relaxation of the lockdown regulations by the President, by ensuring the safety of our commuters,” he said.