Metered Taxi Drivers Feeling Left Out of Transit Plans

While minibuses dominate the public transit sector in the Western Cape, there are plenty of traditional metered taxis. But because they play a smaller role, they have not been included in government talks over how to handle public transit during the 2010 World Cup. Now, drivers are calling for better inclusion as the government prepares for the event.

Drivers say the government should have at least spent some of the 2010 transport budget on the metered taxi industry, as it was expected most foreign visitors would use cab taxis during the event.

Abubaker Safodien, chairman of the Western Cape Metered Taxi Council, said the government was more concerned about minibus taxis than the metered taxi industry for the World Cup.

Metered taxis 'being sidelined for 2010'
Cape Argus
July 20, 2009