A milestone signing ceremony of the last four taxi associations puts Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality on route with the implementation of its Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS) as all ten associations are now on board.
Uncedo Taxi Association Port Elizabeth District, Uncedo Taxi Association Uitenhage District, Uitenhage District Association and Uitenhage Taxi Association all signed Memoranda of Understanding with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
In March the Port Elizabeth District Taxi Association and the Western Suburbs Taxi Association signed the same agreement with the Municipality.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Roads and Transport, Cllr Marlon Daniels, said ongoing discussions are taking place to bring Algoa Bus Company (ABC) on board and to thrash out operational issues and the final composition of the operating company.
“This is a milestone and I only had to walk the last few yards to reach this point. It is therefore important to acknowledge the hard work of the former MMC and the officials,” Daniels said.
Andile Andries, Deputy Chairperson of Santaco Nelson Mandela Region and Chairperson of Uncedo Taxi Association Uitenhage District, said they want the IPTS in Nelson Mandela Bay and to be part of the bigger picture.
“We are confident that this system will improve the lives of residents of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality,” he added.
