Connecting-Africa | Find publications

Advanced search

Find:


Title A troubled journey: the South African government and the taxi recapitalisation policy, 1998-2008
Full text http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3825
Date 2009
Author(s) Van Schalkwyk, Denver Christopher
Contributor(s) Prof. Yolanda Sadie; Prof. Pieter Fourie
Abstract D.Phil. - The overall aim of this study is to provide explanations for the fact that after nearly ten years since its inception in 1999, the Taxi Recapitalisation Policy had not been successfully implemented by the end of 2008. The study is based on an analysis of primary and secondary sources relating to the South African minibus taxi industry. This is supplemented by a total of 54 semi-structured qualitative personal interviews, telephonic interviews and email discussions with role players directly or indirectly involved in the South African minibus taxi industry. In analysing the TRP policy, a stages approach has been followed in which every stage (i.e. the identification of the problem, setting up the agenda, formulation, adoption, and implementation) of the policy making process was analysed in an attempt to establish the underlying problems with the policy. In addition, some theoretical frameworks have been utilised in the analysis of the various stages with regard to the TRP policy. Institutional statism has been useful for analysing the formulation of the policy, while the so-called topdown and bottom-up approaches were helpful for an analysis of the implementation of the policy. Furthermore, this study also used the criteria for successful implementation, namely the so-called 5-C protocol (i.e. content, context, capacity, commitment, and clients and coalitions). The first key insight of this study is the fact that the government targeted the taxi owners only in its policy without considering the policy's impact on other role players in the minibus taxi industry. In addition, there was no consensus between the government and the industry in terms of how they each identified the problem within the industry. Without mutual recognition of the problem, the TRP policy was bound to face problems since its inception. Equally problematic is the one-sided approach by the government in formulating the policy - no public hearings, for example, has been conducted. This signifies a statist and top-down approach to policy making, a style that also characterised the implementation of the policy. Some of the major problems in implementing the policy include the government's inability to honour its own deadlines, its lack of funds to implement the policy (an additional R3.3 billion is required), the fact that its appointed scrapping agency cannot keep up with the demand for the scrapping of old taxis, its exclusion of the major players in the taxi industry such as Top Six, and its insensitivity to the cost of a new vehicle (around R300 000) as well as the provision of a scrapping allowance of a mere R50 000 payable to taxi owners for their old taxis. Turning to the content of the TRP policy and the extent to which the government has met its own goals and objectives (after nine years), it was found that it has not been very successful in the following areas: meeting the goals of establishing minibus taxi cooperatives to economically empower the industry and thus to encourage black economic empowerment; improving working conditions; reducing/eliminating the prevalence of violence; and, finally, reducing the number of minibus taxis involved in accidents by means of newer and safer taxis. With regard to the objectives of the policy, the government has iv had a typical 'mixed level of accomplishment', since it has succeeded in meeting some objectives such as moving the industry into the formal economy and thus forcing it to pay income tax. In view of the study's findings, some of the recommendations to address the government's failure to adequately implement the policy by 2012 include: more involvement of the industry in the form of adequate consultation and communication, not only in relation to the TRP, but every policy pertaining to public transport; avoiding any further delays in implementing the policy by honouring deadlines; eradicating the incapacity of the government-appointed scrapping agency; including the minibus taxi industry in the public subsidy system; and empowering everyone in the industry, especially women, since the industry is one of the few industries in which women are under-represented to such a large degree. With regard to policy making in general, it is evident from this study that the successful implementation of a policy ultimately depends on inclusiveness at every step of the policy making process, since a one-sided policy process is bound to alienate the intended target population, leading to ultimate failure, or at least to major obstacles as highlighted in this study.
Subject(s) Taxicabs - Government policy - South Africa; Minibus taxis - Government policy - South Africa
Language en
Type of publication Thesis
Repository Johannesburg - University of Johannesburg
Added to C-A: 2014-05-21;09:22:07