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Labour Deputy Minister calls on taxi industry to protect its workers and UIF

Labour Deputy Minister Nkosi Phathekile Holomisa has called on the taxi industry to provide good working condition for its workers.

“It makes no sense that we invest hundreds of thousands of rands in very expensive vehicles and we ask our workers to exhaust themselves to the point where our vehicles become a threat unto themselves,” said Deputy Minister Holomisa.

He was speaking at the Taxi Summit in East London on Wednesday.

“Just as important as a fully functional brake system is in protecting your assets, so is the need that your driver or employees enjoy good working conditions,” Deputy Minister Holomisa said.

He said the first sectoral determination for the taxi sector was promulgated on 28 April 2005 and launched in Pretoria with stakeholders’ approval.

Conditions of employment became effective in the second week of May and wages became effective only on 1 July 2005.

“This determination has been amended a few times and fundamentally seeks to respond to the peculiar employment conditions that the sector requires,” Deputy Minister Holomisa said.

He said the Unemployment Insurance Fund had initiated a number of major initiatives involving taxi owners, operators and their employers.

“This, however, still remains an area where we need to make significant progress in order to say that we have made an impact,” Deputy Minister Holomisa said.

He said social partners should work together to achieve the constitutional objectives of ensuring that all workers have a right to fair labour practice and have access to an environment which is not harmful to their social well-being. – SAnews.gov.za