Cape Flats commuters are in for yet another special treat after taxi bosses in Wynberg agreed to drop their fares for the entire festive season.
Last week the taxi owners, who operate the Wynberg to Cape Town CBD route, jumped on the Black Friday bandwagon and offered to charge commuters only R10 a trip.
Following requests by grateful commuters, the owners said on Sunday they will now continue their boon by charging mense just R10 for the entire month of December so that everyone can have a few extra rands in their pockets this Christmas.
Last week Amien Carlsen of the Greencab Taxi Association told the Daily Voice they were hit hard by fuel hikes and had been forced to raise their fares from R14 to R18 to sustain their businesses.
But after complaints from commuters, association member Ighsaan Brown came up with an idea to offer a Black Friday special where commuters only pay R10 for each trip the entire weekend.
Video: Monique Duval/Daily Voice
“After it was in the [Daily] Voice, so many people came out the Friday,” says Carlsen.
“Some of our old customers came back with the newspaper and told us they were going to start taking taxi again. There were so many people the whole weekend and our trips increased by 80%.
“A lot of mense were giving us feedback, asking why we can’t do it for the festive season, so we asked (our chairperson Riedwaan) Cornish and he agreed that for December we can.
“Yes, we may lose some money but it is a sacrifice we are making for our customers and we ask that they come and show their support for us now.
“With December, a lot of people are looking for a little extra, to take the laaities out or to buy them some nice stuff, and now they don’t have to waste all their money on taxi fare.”