The South African National Taxi Council says it will be business as usual for scholar transporters after a letter from the Masiphumelele Taxi Association, prohibiting scholars over the age of 10 from using scholar transport as of September 1, was withdrawn.
A letter threatening to stop scholar transport is not an “official document” and was “leaked” on social media, according to a Masiphumelele community leader.
Siphenathi Kimbili said the letter from the Masiphumelele Taxi Association on a Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) letterhead, stating that no schoolchildren over the age of 10 will be allowed to use private scholar transport from Sunday September 1, sparked outrage in the community.
The handwritten letter, dated Tuesday August 13, was widely shared on social media.
But the the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) said the letter was not an official document and it would be business as usual for scholar transporters on September 1.
A Masiphumelele mother, who asked not to be named as she fears for the safety of her children, said all her children made us of scholar transport.
The driver dropped each child at their respective schools and she never had to worry that they would not make it to school, she said.
The thought of her 12-year-old son using public transport and being dropped at the nearest stop to his school and then having to walk the rest of the way made her feel nervous, she said.
“I am against this decision,” she said.
An Ocean View father Vasco Vigis said his daughter used scholar transport daily and he was vehemently against the idea of her using public transport.
“The driver that takes my daughter to school is very safe and reliable and she makes sure that my daughter enters the gates of the school safely. Public transport won’t provide that service,” he said, adding that the more he thought about it the more upset he got.
“All you need to drive a taxi is a public driving permit, and the sliding door operators don’t even need police clearance to help on a taxi. Not everyone is evil, but there is evil in this world. How do I know some of the operators are not on the sex offender’s list?”
Registered Ocean View scholar transporter Nazley Mostert said she was filled with anxiety after hearing about the letter as transporting children to and from school was her bread and butter.
She said her work was her passion and she had a unique relationship with each of her clients.
She got to know each child individually and became a “second or third parent to them”, she said.
“How does an 11-year-old child even travel with public transport? They are still a child, and how can we protect our children when they are on public transport? It is not safe.”
Children would be expected to walk long distances in rain or shine as public transport did not provide a door-to-door service such as scholar transport did, she said.
Mr Kimbili said that following public outrage, he approached the Masiphumelele Taxi Association for a meeting on Tuesday August 19.
The association had acknowledged writing the letter but had explained that it was still in draft form and had been "leaked" before its contents could be properly reviewed, he said.
“They have withdrawn their letter and promised there will be no obstacles. We are now in negotiations on how we will work together to ensure that scholar transport proceeds as usual," he said.
Santaco spokesman Makhosandile Tumana said they had discussed the matter with Cata’s Masiphumelele chairman and the Cata regional president who confirmed that it was not an official communication.
He said they had apologised about the interpretation of the letter and said it was not their intention for it to be circulated.
“It was very unfortunate that the letter went out as it was circulated to the whole province,” he said, adding that they had assured Santaco that scholar transport would operate as usual on September 1.
The Masiphumelele Taxi Association could not be reached for comment.