Gauteng's Cashless Taxis

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In the coming three months, Gauteng’s Provincial Government will pilot a single e-ticket for public transport users. Last year, minibus taxi commuters were introduced to a similar project for routes between Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Mabopane by the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO),

The provincial project which is being rolled out will encompass all modes of public transport including taxis, trains, and buses in the province.

October was shared as the month in which the single e-ticket will be shared with computers. The project is one of the key deliverables of the 24 years Integrated Transport Master Plan, ITMP25 according to the Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Ismail Vadi. The system hopes to develop a fully integrated Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) System with functionality including Europay, MasterCard and Visa card compliance on all transport modes.

“Furthermore, the department is in the process of enabling the online renewal of motor vehicle licences as well as launch an app to report and monitor potholes along the provincial roads. This forms part of department’s proactive maintenance strategy of the road network,” he said in a statement, which outlined progress on the department’s activities. We will improve systems to ensure the speedy repair of potholes and the resurfacing of the road network. We will mobilise resources for road infrastructure in ways that will avoid the controversy linked to the e-tolls. There will be no e-tolls on our newly constructed freeways,”
-Ismail Vadi, Gauteng MEC Roads, and Transport

The Traffic Department has been allocated R6.8 billion where R1.9 billion will go towards transport infrastructure and R1.8 billion for the high-speed rail Gautrain; The remainder split proportionally between transport operations, transport regulation and administration.

The department recently completed 12 major road rehabilitation projects such as the N12, the R82 from Eikenhof to Walkerville and the N14. Work on the remaining section of the N14 is currently underway.

The department said it remains one of the key sources of funding for the Provincial Treasury. Over the past three years, it had collected motor vehicle and other licensing fees amounting to R9.6 billion.

In the past three years, the province has seen significant investment in roads and public transport infrastructure to support the economy, integrate fragmented urban form, improve the quality of transport and reduce commuting times.

“The massive rollout of modernised public transport infrastructure such as the Gautrain rapid rail service, the slow but progressive expansion of metropolitan BRT services and the development of the Aerotropolis are examples of mega-projects that are gradually transforming our urban landscape and creating jobs,” MEC Vadi said.

He said despite the corporate governance challenges confronting the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), the Metrorail revitalisation programme in the province has seen the introduction of 18 new trains on the Pienaarspoort-Pretoria corridor.

The Gibela Rail Manufacturing Plant will be ready later this year.

MEC Vadi said the department will continue to work with taxi operators to address issues relating to operating licenses.
“I wish to announce that I intend to institute extraordinary measures in terms of section 91 of the National Land Transport Act to close all ranks and routes registered in the name of NANDUWE and WATA in Soweto.

“The route dispute and resulting violent conflicts between these two associations have been ongoing and all efforts at resolving the said dispute, including the section 79 ruling of the Provincial Regulatory Entity, has not helped to stabilise transport operations in the area,” MEC Vadi said.

The provincial department has discussed the ongoing violent conflicts between Uber/Taxify partners and metered taxi operators led by the so-called Gauteng Metered Taxi Concerned Operators with the Ministers of Police and Transport.

“Government as a whole is absolutely clear that unlawful and criminal acts of certain metered taxi operators will be dealt decisively,” said MEC Vadi.