Cape Town taxis are going cashless from June 1.
Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers
The daily scramble for exact change and the risks linked to carrying cash on minibus taxis could soon become a thing of the past in the Western Cape as the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) prepares to roll out a fully cashless payment system from June 1.
The move by one of the province’s largest taxi associations marks a major shift for the public transport sector, with commuters set to pay for trips using specialised tap cards or scan-to-pay mobile technology.
Codeta said the initiative is aimed at improving commuter safety, reducing cash-related crime and bringing the taxi industry in line with modern payment trends.
Codeta chairperson Nceba Enge confirmed that the new system will officially launch on June 1, describing it as a significant step towards transforming the commuting experience for thousands of daily passengers across the Western Cape.
The association said it hopes this new initiative will also improve the safety of commuters.
“We are introducing a new cashless system in our taxi industry. Our customers will now be using cards, which they will scan when getting into our vans. By doing so, we are also trying to protect them in the morning when they are going to work and when they are coming back home,” Enge told Cape Argus.
The digital shift follows provincial efforts to modernise commuter corridors.
He said cameras will also be installed inside the minibus taxis to be part of its new system to improve safety and accountability within the industry.
In recent months, the taxi industry has been marred by violence across the country, and Codeta is hoping to change this.
While Enge is aware the teething stages may be tricky, he said they were willing to work towards ensuring this initiative is a success.
Speaking to IOL, the South African Taxi Council (Santaco) in the Western Cape’s Public Relations Officer, Makhosandile Tumana, said it welcomed the idea of a cashless system for commuters.
“We as Santaco are very pleased with Codeta bringing these cashless payments into our industry. As Santaco in the Western Cape, we want to push this initiative forward to all our regions to ensure that all of them are using this. At the end of the day, we are trying to eliminate all the challenges that we are experiencing in our industry, such as substance abuse, extortion, etc,” he said.
IOL