R5,6 billion scrapping allowance paid by government to remove 81 000 old taxis on SA roads in the last 18 years.
The Taxi Recapitalization Programme (TRP), has been hailed as a great success by the Department of Transport after dismantling almost 81 000 outdated taxis and paying out more than R5.6 billion in scrapping allowances to taxi operators.
The TRP which got underway in 2006 is a government initiative that introduces new taxi vehicles made to perform public transportation functions in the taxi business in order to create safe, efficient, dependable, economical, and accessible taxi operations.
The majority of taxi vehicles now adhere to all the safety standards established by the TRP, which include rollover bars and safety belts among other things.
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The target was to scrap 135 000 old taxis, with scrapping allowance set at R50 000 when the TRP was started.
Since April 2023, when the scrapping allowance was raised to R151 000, almost 81 000 outdated taxis had been destroyed.
“The TRP continues to make significant strides in changing the face of the taxi industry – away from what was normally referred to as moving coffin taxi vehicles, which characterised the face of the industry to modern day safer taxi vehicles,” the department said on Sunday.
The Department of Transport has added that as TRP approaches its 18th year anniversary in October 2023, it plans to scrap 3 750 old taxi vehicles in the current financial year.
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