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| Gauteng drivers are testing a smart card payment system rejected by Pietermaritzburg's drivers. |
DESPITE Pietermaritzburg taxi drivers and conducters sending up in
smoke the first pilot of a smart swipe card for taxis in the city, the Gauteng
province is now hoping to drag the cash-based taxi industry into the 20th
century with a smart card system.
KYLE VENKTESS reports for Fin24 the card-based project — which is
backed by the Gauteng provincial government and headed up by the TaxiChoice
Association — was introduced last Tuesday at taxi ranks on the Johannesburg,
Pretoria and Mabopane (JPM) route.
The system issues commuters with what looks like a regular bank
card or quick response (QR) code to pay for their taxi fare.
Jotham Msibi, TaxiChoice Association’s executive chair, said that
the project is planned to allow for better control of cash in the taxi industry.
“The initiative is compliant with payment regulations and is a
level-four banking standard, operating on the same platform that banks are
using,” he said.
“This system is making use of a very high technology system and the
same system can be used for buses and trains, to make public transport
efficient, reliable and safe,” Msibi added.
Gauteng Transport MEC, Ismail Vadi, said that the initiative was a
smaller part in the greater goal of public transport commuters being able to use
one card for all forms of transport.
“The standard that must be strived for is ‘One Province — One
Ticket’ in line with the national electronic fare collection regulations,” he
added.
“We want there to be one electronic card with no problems. This is
a disruptive technology that needs to be used to our advantage but we must take
our time,” Vadi said.
Vadi added that the initiative also intends to make taxi
transportation safer for commuters.
“Now that the driver does not need to collect and count taxi fares
he can be focused on driving,” he said.
But progress will take place, and in Gauteng, the taxi digital fare
collection system is owned and being implemented by FairPay.
TaxiChoice — the commercial arm of the South African National Taxi
Council (Santaco) — is currently the sole shareholder in FairPay, with Curve
Group Holdings as the technology partner.
“We believe in connecting people to opportunity and this project
represents a leap ahead for the South African taxi industry.
“Through the use of digital technology we can assist millions of
hard-working people to be more connected, more informed and lead better lives,”
said Fred Baumhardt, CEO of Curve Group.
When the Santaco piloted the same type of system in the city,
Nhlanhla Nkomo, chair of the association, told EDWARD WEST of The Witness that the card system would
“formalise the industry, result in taxi industry employees being treated as
normal workers with benefits, and result in safer minibus transport”.
The system was piloted in 113 taxis belonging to the Grand Westgate
Taxi Association in November last year. Witness reporter CHELSEA PIETERSE reported drivers and
conducters hurled rocks and bricks at the Langalibalele Street taxi rank to
protest against the “no cash in taxis” campaign while members of the
uMgungundlovu Taxi Association also protested against the new system.
uMgungundlovu Taxi Association chair Bheki Sokhela then said the
passengers had turned from welcoming a card system that could be pre-loaded with
fares on weekly or monthly basis, to protesting with drivers and conductors in
the informal settlement of France.
Commuter Thembi Dumakude said they are against the card system
because it would eventually phase out the role of taxi conductors and lots of
people would lose their jobs.
“This is a poor area … and we do not want that,” Dumakude told
The Witness.
