Millions of taxpayer’s money disappears down taxi industry’s dark hole

The government’s flagship taxi recapitalisation scheme, relaunched three years ago, had a twofold objective of removing ageing and unsafe vehicles from South African roads and providing the taxi industry with a raft of economic empowerment interventions.

It has failed on both fronts yet more than R1 billion has been spent in just three years.   

A recent government gazette signed by Transport Minister Fikile Mabalula gives drivers of illegally converted Toyota panel vans until 31 January next year to hand over their vehicles to the TRSA for scrapping or have them impounded.