2009-01-05: Rea Vaya and Taxi industry involvement
THE Gauteng Provincial Taxi Council would like to take the opportunity to clarify confusion that may have been created late in 2008, around processes involving the taxi industry's engagement with the City of Johannesburg, on its BRT project.
We would like to focus mainly on the unfounded allegations that the Joburg Taxi BRT Steering Committee, formed by Executive Members of both Greater Johannesburg Regional Taxi Council and Top Six Taxi Management, has signed an agreement with the City of Johannesburg with regard to the Taxi Industry participation in the BRT project.
On behalf of the Gauteng Taxi Council I would like to clarify and point out the following:
Greater Johannesburg Regional Taxi Council, which is an affiliate of Gauteng Taxi Council, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Johannesburg in December 2007 with the blessing of all affiliate Taxi Associations and only after thorough consultation process with the member Associations identified as affected by the BRT project in the Phase 1.
The signed MOU did not commit the Taxi Industry in Johannesburg on any aspect of the implementation of BRT.
According to our own understanding of the content of the MOU, the only commitment that the Regional Taxi Council has made was to engage in good faith, on behalf of its members, with the City of Johannesburg with regard to the possible participation of the Taxi Operators in the proposed BRT project in Johannesburg.
This engagement has been taking place since the beginning of 2007 and has included amongst others broad consultative workshops, study tours, information sharing sessions and roadshows to directly affected Taxi Associations, through their democratically elected Executive members as well as the general membership of the Associations.
Mr. Eric Motshwane, the Chairperson of Greater Johannesburg Regional Taxi Council since 2002, has not at any time acted outside of the mandate received from the Management Committee of the Regional Taxi Council comprising of all chairpersons of the affiliated Taxi Associations.
Gauteng Taxi Council attended the signing ceremony of the MOU between the Joburg Taxi Industry and the City of Johannesburg, hosted by the CoJ's Executive Mayor Cllr. Amos Masondo on 14 December 2007.
Gauteng Taxi Council has so far attended three major Workshops on the Joburg BRT project organized and facilitated by the Joburg Taxi BRT Steering Committee and attended by up to hundred executive members of the Taxi Industry and there was no indication whatsoever that any agreement was entered into between the taxi Industry and Government with regard to the implementation of the BRT.
This media statement represents the views of the entire Executive Committee of Gauteng Taxi Council, chaired by Mr. Tutu Molefe, as formulated at the last Management meeting. I hope that it will set the record straight in respect of the involvement of the Greater Johannesburg Regional Taxi Council and its Executive Members in the Joburg BRT project at this stage.
For further details contact:
Mr Frans Mashishi
Secretary General
Gauteng Taxi Council
Tel: 011-333-2660
Cell: 083-692-3574
