Cape Town Taxi Fares Rise on 18 May Across Key Routes Now SA

Cape Town residents are beginning their week faced with a new reality as both CATA and CODETA announced a new hike in taxi fares from Monday, 18 May.

Cape Town taxi fares, Both organizations have stated that commuters will be paying R2 to R5 more on various routes due to increased costs of fuel and diesel in the country.

It has been reported that the increased costs of running taxis have made this necessary.

The Increase in Taxi Fare in Cape Town

The most recent increase came shortly after the fuel price adjustment in the country.

For petrol, the hike stands at R3.27 per litre, while for diesel, the increment was R5.27 per litre.

Solethi Sawulisi, who is CATA chairman, noted that the majority of taxi owners are financially distressed due to the rise in fuel costs and car payments.

As reported by Sawulisi, “Some of them are already having their cars confiscated since they cannot afford to make their monthly payments.”

“Due to these challenges, we have no other choice but to increase our taxi fare,” he said.

Failed Negotiations With the Government

Makhosandile Tumana, CODETA spokesperson, reported that they sought negotiations with the provincial government before implementing the new pricing.

However, it seems that their talks were unsuccessful.

“Typically, we raise our prices towards the end of December, but this year we are doing so owing to the rise in fuel prices,” she said.

Cape Town Commuters Under More Pressure

Several commuters stated that these fare increases would put further pressure on their already strained budgets.

Commuters who use taxis daily for work, schooling, and business trips have found their monthly transport bills increasing despite the simultaneous hike in food and electricity prices.

Sesihle Mpevu, a Nyanga commuter, stated that people were expecting an increase in fares, but not to such a magnitude.

Commuters have started exploring alternative means of transport.

Mthobeli Mthi, another commuter, said he will opt for trains since they are cheaper than taxis.

Taxi Sector Experiencing Financial Hardship

The minibus taxi sector has been one of the major public transport providers in Cape Town and the Western Cape.

It has continuously expressed concerns over the rising fuel prices, maintenance costs, and funding costs, making its operations hard.

While taxi associations assured there are no plans for further fare hikes, commuters fear future hikes due to further fuel price hikes.

Conclusion

The commuters in Cape Town should experience the effects of the recent fare increases by the CATA and CODETA soon enough.

Although the reason for such price hikes is justified according to the cab owners because of increasing fuel and other operational expenses, there are fears that such price hikes will further add to the burden of the citizens suffering due to the increasing costs of living in South Africa.