New deal to get IPTS up and running

A memorandum of agreement was signed last week by the municipality, the Northern Areas Taxi Operators' Association (Natoa) and the Algoa Taxi Association. The document provides a formal basis for the municipality and the taxi associations to formulate a blueprint for the roll-out of the IPTS.

Transport portfolio chairman Rano Kayser said committees would be formed and meetings would be held to engage on issues of compensation, operation and training. The deal follows months of negotiations between the municipality and individual taxi associations in an effort to reach an agreement on how to get the stagnant bus system up and running next year.

However, Laphum'ilanga, the body which previously represented the majority of the 10 taxi associations, is said to be preparing to put up a fight, feeling it has been side-stepped by the city's leaders. The metro previously negotiated with Laphum'ilanga on behalf of the taxi industry.

The latest move by the municipality to bypass Laphum'ilanga is seen as an attempt to scrap its control over the implementation of the IPTS.

"Our surveys of current services operating on the Cleary Park route picked up a number of Algoa buses on the route," Kayser said.

"We have therefore started preliminary discussions with the industry in general and with three of the potentially affected starter service operators."

Natoa chairman Christian King said they were happy to have signed an agreement and this meant the bus system would operate smoothly.

"It is long overdue and we are very excited about it. We hope this is the start of a bright future for everyone involved," King said.

"We need to work together as a collective.

"All leaders of associations need to understand better what the municipality is trying to do."

Laphum'ilanga chairman Mtutuzeli Madwara declined to comment, saying they would deal with the matter next month.

Source: Herald