All minibus taxis being phased out over the next 12 years

SHOOT: Not sure how they brokered this deal, because fact is, the more buses you have, the fewer minibus drivers you can employ. Not sure what the rate is but I'd imagine it's something like 2 or 3 taxi's could be replaced for every bus.

clipped from www.theherald.co.za A REVOLUTIONARY deal between the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality, the Algoa Bus Company and the city's taxi associations will see all minibus taxis being phased out over the next 12 years and replaced with a new bus system. The agreement, which has been under negotiation for the past 16 months, is seen as a model for other cities in South Africa. The historic deal will see taxi owners formed into five primary transport co-operatives. These will operate the taxis until they are gradually phased out and replaced with buses. Two separate agreements between the municipality and the Taxi Forum and the municipality and the Algoa Bus Company will be signed as early as this week. Banda said Mandela Bay was the only major city in South Africa “to have reached these levels of negotiations and co-operation between the bus and taxi industry and municipality”.