Public Involvement in Rea Vaya: The Case of the Minibus Taxi Industry

in Johannesburg, South Africa

4 levels within the taxi industry

• National (SANTACO & NTA)• Provincial• Regional• Local

August 2006 Study Tour to Bogota

BRT in Joburg – a negotiated tender• December 2006 - Council approves BRT• February 2007 - Consultation process begins• March 2007 - Technical consultants brought in• October 2007 – MOU signed• 2008 - Road Shows to the various associations

Major Concerns

• What will happen to our vehicles? • Will the government honour their word? • Won’t we lose our jobs? • What about vehicles without permits but are

operating?• This project sounds too good to be true. Will

we really be better off?• The most important questions are not being

answered. How much will I make?

Aim of the Taxi Industry Transition• Creation of internationally competitive and

profitable companies composed of impacted former taxi operators

• Created in time to operate the service• Performance based contracting• Adverse impacts to taxi operators minimized• Violence is mitigated

Major Problems to Negotiations

• 10 different associations• 4 levels of the taxi industry• Who was affected?

– Poor licensing– Illegal operations– Multi-routing

Elections 2009 – negotiations break down

• Disrupted the process• United Taxi Association Forum

Since August

• Negotiations have started back in earnest with the negotiation team meeting weekly

• The industry in now unified in a process• Compensation issues have been resolved• Fee per kilometer is being negotiated• It is hoped that negotiations will resolve soon

and the taxi industry will take over the service