JOHANNESBURG, June 19 (Xinhua) -- South African Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula on Friday announced that 1.135 billion rand (about 65 million U.S. dollars) in relief has been allocated to the taxi industry to cushion the losses of thousands of taxis and their operators during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Government has offered the taxi industry a relief package of 1.135 billion rand. Reaching agreement within government for this relief support for the taxi industry was a difficult process that involved extensive lobbying and convincing the relevant authorities on the importance and need for this fund," Mbalula said on Friday.
The government announced national lockdown as from March 26 which restricted the carrying capacity of taxis and their operating times.
Mbalula emphasised that the funding was not compensation for loss of revenue as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, but rather assistance from government within the available resources and means.
"Industries have fallen apart. Such industries should be saved if we can save them,"he said.
"This relief must be equally looked at through a longterm view of the opportunity created by COVID-19 pandemic to achieve longterm sustainability of the industry through formalisation and ultimately, subsidisation." Enditem
