By Teboho Moloi
QWAQWA-The South African National Taxi Association (SANTACO) in the Thabo Mofutsanyana region has officially launched the first taxi association taxi spares in the Free State at Phuthaditjhaba on Thursday 09 July.
According to SANTACO Thabo Mofutsanyana district chairperson Maine Menyatso, the initiative is part of their many transformational ideas in the pipeline to turn the industry into a being a more formal profitable business that is able to sustain itself, create more jobs, contribute to the local economy and be professionally operated.
Menyatso said they have realised that as the industry its self has a big potential of growth.
“We want the money to rotate amongst us as we have a buying power. It is time that we stop supporting other businesses we used to but taxi parts from and then they leave with the same money taking it out here , to wherever they come from not even contributing to the local economy,” said Menyatso.
He said this is also a way to empower and grow the taxi business they are in, rather than just transporting commuters, referring to taxis needing daily certain operational parts for it to operate.
SANTACO said in partnership with the government they will be paying wages for the three appointed trained employees to work in the taxi spares.
He further added that the initiative has a long-term safety vision that all taxis taking commuters will at all times be on a roadworthy state as parts will always be available at the spares.
During the launch Maluti A Phofung representative Councillor Thuso Maboa welcomed the initiative and called for the full support of taxis and that commuters should stay away from pirating taxi operators in order for the growth of the taxi industry.
