City of Joburg, Wits put 97 minibus operators on road to prosperity

20 October 2017

 

Ninety-seven minibus taxi operators from different taxi associations in the City of Johannesburg walked tall on Thursday afternoon, 19 October 2017, as they received certificates at the Wits Business School.

 

The proud graduates undertook an extensive six-months training programme to gear them up for exciting business opportunities in the near future.

Most South Africans rely on taxis to commute on a daily basis. But regulation of this vital informal sector has been lacking.

The City of Johannesburg has taken the initiative to get taxi associations members educated on issues of policy and governance by teaming up with the Wits School of Governance to offer a Certificate in Public Transport Governance and Operations Management.

This programme was designed to build the capacity of minibus taxi operators to become part of the sustainable public transport sector.

MMC for Transport in the City of Johannesburg, Cllr, Nonhlanhla Makhuba, congratulated the graduates. “The aim of this initiative was to provide minibus taxi leadership with an opportunity to learn and grow in a formal educational environment and thus broaden their already existing business leadership and organizational skills.

“The City is committed to the transformation within and off the public transport sector and this can be realised with the active partnership of the taxi industry on a level playing field,” said MMC Makhuba.

She heaped praises on the graduates on succeeding in this innovative endeavor which combined leadership, strategy development and entrepreneurial development.

“I have been briefed that the course was an eye opener for you and that it provided you with the tools to change the way you manage your finances and how you should lead,” said MMC Makhuba.

Wits School of Governance Head Professor David Everatt said: “We recognise the need for skills in computing, critical thinking and knowledge about policy, governance, urban transport and the like.

“The course was designed at the request of the City in order to equip members of taxi associations to transition into bus operators, supporting Rea Vaya rather than seeing it as a threat,” added Everatt.

The Executive Director of Education, Dr Manamela Matshabaphala, who also facilitated some modules, said: “Through our interactions with the course participants, we got a glimpse into the world of taxi operators.

“This seems to have had a transformative impact on the participants. It is clear from our conversations in class that there is a mind shift in relation to the organisational culture in the industry. It has been a riveting experience,” said Matshabaphala.

Peter Mabe, Chairperson of the Dobsonville, Roodepoort, Leratong Johannesburg Taxi Association, said: “I found this course very productive. I believe this is an industry that needs to be regulated.” He said the course also improved their vocabulary as the popular English term in their industry is “short left, short right and after robot”.

The graduation formed part of the City of Johannesburg’s National Transport Month programme.