Taxi industry, Rea Vaya at a dead end over delayed compensation

JOHANNESBURG - The City of Johannesburg has suggested that external forces may be working to derail talks with taxi owners still owed compensation for making way for the Rea Vaya system.  

Taxi association Top Six said about 317 taxis were removed from city roads nearly two decades ago, with owners promised R830,000 per vehicle as part of the transition to the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.  

ALSO READ: Unhappy taxi owners threaten to delay agreements that gave rise to Rea Vaya system

On Monday, a meeting in Soweto between Johannesburg MMC for Transport Kenny Kunene and disgruntled taxi owners turned sour when they demanded he leave and Mayor Dada Morero engage them directly.  

At the heart of the dispute is the recent introduction of 45 feeder buses, which owners and associations claim was done without consulting key stakeholders, including taxi bosses and drivers.  

This was how Kunene reacted: “We have signed a protocol agreement since I came into office, so for them to do what they are doing, there are obviously certain interests.”