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“Although we are not 100% satisfied, having 10 passengers instead of seven in a taxi is much better.”
So said taxi operators and owners who spoke to City Press at the Noord Taxi Rank in Johannesburg which was back in business on Friday morning – day eight of the national lockdown.
Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula said on Thursday that taxis could operate at 70% capacity.
He said taxis could carry full loads if all passengers wore face masks.
“We can’t say that we are happy about the situation, but it is better than nothing,” said the owner of two taxis, Thokozani Makhaza (52), who operates on the Noord to Bara City route.
“Nothing beats having a full taxi but what can we do? I own a 15-seater taxi so I am now able to carry 10 passengers instead of seven, three at the back seat, two, two, two and then one in front.”
Makhaza said as a driver and owner “there are certain costs we cannot avoid”.
“We struggle a lot because of things like petrol which is obviously needed so that we can work,” he said. “From the money that I normally make, I use half for petrol. That is the case even now. So, with less money, I get less petrol.”
He said: “If I manage to get at least four trips and make just over R400 at the end of the day, I can take home about R150.”
As many commuters occupying taxis have no masks, Makhaza expressed his concern about the possible spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, but said that “not working is not an option”.
“We are worried about the virus, but we need to work. I cannot have one of my taxis parked in my yard and not operating. That is not an option.
“As you can see, the [taxi] marshal is sanitising our customers. We were told that masks would be provided for us because I don’t even know where to get them.”
Thembinkosi Sithole (38), a taxi operator for more than 10 years, agreed with Makhaza.
As he sat in his 15-seater taxi, patiently waiting for his turn to transport passengers, Sithole said: “Ten passengers are better. We are now at least able to get something to eat because even that was becoming difficult.
“At the end of the day, no matter how many trips I have managed to carry out, I have to go and give the owner of the taxi his money and then he pays me. And, with that money, I have to try to see what I can do because it is not what we are used to.
“We are worried about the virus, but we are doing the best we can with what we have.”
Although taxis packed the rank, passengers were “scarce because they are too scared to travel”.
“There are very few people. We are not used to this,” Sithole said.
And vendors, who normally work at the taxi rank, said they had to find other ways to make money as they “could not operate freely”.
Sibusiso Ndhlovu said he had to shut down his business of selling fruits and has since dabbled in a new venture to take care of his children.
“I am a vendor here. I own a stand but, since the lockdown, I have not been able to operate because that is what has been decided by those who run the country,” he told City Press.
“So, we are trying to respect that, so we can play our role in trying to curb the spread of this flu [Covid-19].
“But I could not just sit at home so now instead of selling fruits as I usually do, I help people who are travelling by carrying their luggage for them. I have become a porter.”
But, the 31-year-old said, it has not been all doom.
“I am able to get at least R10 or R20 from each person because we have children at home who need to be taken care of. I have managed to make R100 this morning, but with my normal business I would have made more,” he said.
“As much as we are trying to get by, we need our permits to be sorted out so we can go back to our original businesses. That is where we make money.”
On Tuesday, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, announced that “all spaza shops should be open, including informal food traders, but they must get a permit”.
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