The Department of Transport has lauded the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme (TRP) as a huge success following the scrapping of over 81 000 old taxi vehicles with a pay out of more than R5.6 billion scrapping allowance to taxi operators since its inception in October 2006 to March 2023.

“The TRP continues to make significant strides in changing the face of the taxi industry – away from what was normally referred to as moving coffin taxi vehicles, which characterised the face of the industry to modern day safer taxi vehicles,” the department said on Sunday.

The majority of taxi vehicles now meet all the safety requirements that were introduced through the TRP, which included among others, safety belts and rollover bars.

When the TRP started in 2006, the target was to scrap 135 000 old taxis, with scrapping allowance set at R50 000.

Over 81 000 old taxi vehicles have now been scrapped with the scrapping allowance increased to R151 000 since the beginning of April 2023.

As TRP approaches its 18th year anniversary in October 2023, the department plans to scrap 3 750 old taxi vehicles in the current financial year.

The department will also continue to work with the taxi associations to encourage their members to scrap old taxi vehicles. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South African Government News Agency