Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo

23 April 2023

Vukanini Taxi Association (Vukta)  met with the school principals from around eMbalenhle to announce the Mini Taxi (well known as Iskopas) price fire for learners at Risibe Gardens on Friday, 21 April 2023. Mr Fanyana Sibanyoni said, as the association, they have realised that the parents of  the children they transport on a daily basis are struggling and cannot afford taxi fares, hence they decided to reduce the price.

Mr Sibanyoni announced to the principals and circuit managers that from 1 May 2023, the learners’ fare for the mini taxi will be reduced to R6.00 per trip, meaning that per day a learner would only need R12.00 to school and from school.

The R6.00 per trip will only be applicable to school learners in uniform from 6h00 to 8h00 in the mornings and 13h00 to 15h00.

Further communications will be made by principals to the learners who have extra classes with the Association on times suitable for learners to be collected from that particular school. 

This also includes days where schools wear casual clothes. 

Principals will have to arrange with the association whenever the school takes part in such.

Mr Sibanyoni further affirmed that in cases where a child has lost or left a school bag in the mini-taxi, the  Vukta office will be made available at the taxi rank to keep lost items and parents are free to go check.

The meeting was also attended by mini-taxi owners.

The principals raised concerns about mini-taxi drivers who might be in a hurry to get loads and drop off learners midway to school. 

Mr Sibanyoni said those drivers will be dealt with accordingly and, further more, learners should report such drivers to their principals who will liaise with the association.

These trips are not applicable to staff taxi or schooler transport users but only for those learners who travel using cash on a daily basis.

The chairperson of Vukta further stated that the association would like to revive sports in schools and the association will sponsor the initiative because most learners end up on drugs, since schools in the township do not have any extra mural activities.

The principals appreciated the gesture and also thanked the VUKTA youth desk that drops off sanitary towels to schools every now and again and for keeping a girl child at school.