A collaborative effort by taxi associations which operate from the Olievenhoutbosch taxi rank in Tshwane has resulted in the launch of a vehicle spare parts retail shop owned by these taxi organisations themselves.
The taxi organisations referred to here known as PRACZA.
PRACZA stands for Randburg Soshanguve Taxi Association (PRSTA), Randburg United Local and Long Distance Taxi Association (RULLDTA), Atteridgeville Saulsville Taxi Owners Association (ASTOA), Centurion Taxi Association (CTA), Zwanani Marabastad Taxi Association (ZMTA), Alexander Randburg Midrand Sandton Taxi Association (ARMSTAR).
The vehicle spare parts retail shop is situated at the Olievenhoutbosch taxi rank and was launched Wednesday.
Amongst the guest was SANTACO president Abner Motlhabane Tsebe, Gauteng MEC for transport Kedibone Diale- Tlabela and different taxi associations chairman and members across Tshwane and Gauteng and taxi operators.
SANTACO President Abner Motlhabane Tsebe told the Tshwane Talks that the retail shop will help taxi owners to access spare parts for their vehicles.
This venture is supported by Taxi Recapitilisation South Africa and is in line with the resolutions of the 2020 National Taxi Lekgotla.
The said resolutions include formalising and professionalising the taxi industry in order to diversify its value chain opportunities.
“Unity among taxi organisations is one of the factors that have brought about the establishment of a vehicle spares part shop that is owned by the taxi industry itself.
“Unity and leadership must be at the top of our agenda because once we as the top leadership are united, it becomes easy for our affiliates to follow and now we are preaching peace and unity in the taxi industry and no more killings,” said Tsebe.
National Department of Transport official Bafana Mkhwebane congratulated PRACZA for launching the spare parts retail shop.
He said the launch of the vehicle spare parts outlet is a fulfillment of a mandate to empower the taxi industry so that it would own businesses that would be sustainable.
“What we did as government was to work out a business model like this vehicle spare parts shop, wherein the taxi associations would own 60% of the proceeds of the business with the technical partner owning the remaining 40%,” said Mkhwebane.
MEC for Transport in Gauteng Kedibone Diale- Tlabela said the initiative of launching the vehicle spares shop container is a great one that is long overdue.
“We are happy that the taxi industry has chosen the Gauteng Province to kick start its business venture because thus has already resulted in the people of Centurion being employed,” she said.
“As the government of Gauteng it is our aim to make sure that people get employed as that is in line with Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s Nasispani job creation initiative,” said the MEC.
“This is the business opportunity for the industry; the retail container solution that we’ve dropped at this taxi rank is part of the project that has been implemented by the (TRSA) taxi recapitalisation South Africa.
Taxi recapitalisation South Africa which is an entity that is responsible for the implementation of revised taxi recapitalisation program.
This program is not new and it’s been around since 2006,” said Visham Naidoo CEO (TRSA) taxi recapitalisation South Africa.
Ward 106 Councilor Kenny Masha commended SANTACO for having unified and bringing peace among taxi associations in Olivenhouthosch, emphasising that this achievement belongs to the record books of South Africa.
“We are so happy and taxi operators will no longer travel far to get parts,” said Kholo Muthimunye PRO Zwanane Marabastad taxi association (ZMTA) PRO.
Operation manager Atteridgville Sausville taxi association (ASTOA) Victor Thipe said this spares shop has unite the taxi association and there won’t be fight only peace.
“We are very happy with the partnership and it will take us very far and it is a kick start in taxi industry and an eye opener,” said Chris Mabona deputy chairman Pretoria Randburg Soshanguve (PRS).