What does the lifting of the State of Disaster mean for Taxipreneurs?
What does the lifting of the State of Disaster mean for Taxipreneurs?
On the 5th of April 2022, South Africa ended its national state of disaster, the legal framework that has been used for the past two years to combat the spread of COVID-19 in the nation. While life is not back to the ‘normal’ of before, it is certainly easier to function and operate businesses with less restrictions.
For the Taxipreneur, it means that travel can resume, both intra and interprovincial, as well as crossing borders into neighbouring countries. The following regulations, however, are still in place:
- All minibus taxi drivers and passengers must continue to wear a mask
- Local and cross provincial travel by minibus taxi is permitted
- International travel is permitted, which may mean more minibus taxi commuters through tourists or migrant labourers
While the regulations over sanitising of vehicles and passengers’ hands, as well as travelling with open windows is not mandatory, it makes sense to encourage good ventilation during commutes.
While the pandemic is not over, its transmission is more widely understood. The South African Medical Association (SAMA) is urging the government to ramp up the country’s vaccination drive. Both drivers and passengers of minibus taxis are encouraged to get themselves fully vaccinated, to minimise the risk of getting and transmitting the virus. The minibus taxi industry continues to be the most critical form of transportation in South Africa, and it is vital that it returns to full economic capacity as soon as possible.