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KwaZulu-Natal MEC of Transport, S'bu Ndebele, will officially unveil the new branding and also hand over licences of the mini-bus taxis operating in this province at a press briefing on Monday, 22 October 2001, 11h00, at Rob Roy Hotel, Botha's Hill.

These major steps have been taken as part of an ongoing multi-pronged strategy towards making a formalised, professional, economically viable and violence free taxi industry.

It is to ensure that gaps are tightly closed against taxi pirates who have been a major cause of taxi conflict. This branding will mark a significant step in a form of identification of taxis to distinguish legal operators from illegal ones thus creating a positive and visible public transport environment that is commuter responsive. Noting that the Judicial Taxi Commission also recommended that steps have to be taken clearly define associations, routes and ranks of taxis in an endeavour to curb violence in this industry.

Amongst role-players to attend are members of the KZN Provincial Taxi Council, Provincial Judicial Taxi Commission, SAPS, Road Traffic Inspectorate, Durban Metro Police, taxi associations and others.

Taxi branding which is about the distinctive marking of minibus taxis by origin destination, will address some of the problems that taxi drivers, commuters and enforcement officers currently experience. It will be easy for law enforcement officers to stop illegal operators, for drivers to identify encroachers, and commuters will not inconvenience drivers by stopping the wrong taxi.

Please note picture opportunity.

Contact: Mlungisi Ndhlela at 082 5666 781

Issued by: Office of the MEC for Transport, KwaZulu-Natal, 19 October 2001