MATA HANDS OUT CHRISTMAS GOODIES TO WIDOWS AND DEDICATED PATROLLERS

The Mamelodi Amalgamated Taxi Association (MATA) handed out Christmas goodies to widows of their late members as well as their current team of dedicated patrollers at the association’s closing party held in Nellmapius Extension 4 on Thursday.

Amongst the guests was wards councillors Joyce Seelane and Kholofelo Khopotso.

MATA Chairperson Ben Maredi told Tshwane Talks that the aim of the event was to hand out presents to the widows of their late members as well as to their current staff members including squad patrollers.

“We want to make sure that our members as well as the widows have something with which they can buy groceries for their families this festive season, and we would like to thank all MATA staff members, drivers, patrollers and road committee members for having shown dedication to their duties by working together since January up to now,” said Maredi.

“Though we had various challenges during the course of the year we managed to pull through because of the spirit of unity that prevails among us,” he said.

Maredi explained that MATA encourages widows to continue with the taxi businesses left behind by their deceased husbands so as to continue feeding their children and providing them with all their needs.

“The widows must carry on with the legacy that has been left behind by their late husbands because failure by the widows to continue providing for their children will result in the children resorting to drugs and crime, and such a scenario is not good for the community, the children and their families,” he said.

“To the widows we are saying if they have any problems they must approach our offices as we are always ready to help them,” said Maredi as he in the process also extended his heartfelt thanks to the road committees and taxi squad members for keeping the community safe.

He thanked passengers for supporting MATA all these years and urged them to come to their offices when they have any complaints against taxi drivers.

Widow Dorah Ditshego, who became an active member of MATA in 2019 after the death of her husband Frans Ditshego, told Tshwane Talks that she was encouraged by MATA official Mrs Ratau to be actively involved in the taxi business.

“The executive committee of MATA is taking good care of us and they help us with all our needs and most importantly they have taught us to love and care about each other as MATA members,” she said.

Bra Absa Makgagane, who is an official of the MATA road committee, said the association’s chairperson Ben Maredi is a very important person to them as MATA members.

“Mr Maredi managed to stop the taxi violence in Mamelodi as well as decreasing the rate of crime in the township and incidents whereby cars used to be stolen, especially in the evenings, have decreased,” he said.

“We have managed to raise our grandchildren and great grandchildren through the support given to us by BT Maredi,” he said.

Frank Moleya who is also in the MATA road committee said since Ben Maredi assumed the chairmanship of MATA they as members now feel safe unlike in the past where they lived in constant fear of their lives.