- Jacob Mamabolo visited a pop-up vaccination site at the Emthonjeni taxi rank.
- Mamabolo said the plan was to have at least two pop-ups at different taxi ranks per week.
- A pop-up will be running from Bara taxi rank in Soweto on Wednesday.
Taxi driver Sibongile Mtumaza says he is ready to encourage his passengers and fellow drivers to get the Covid-19 jab after being vaccinated at the Emthonjeni taxi rank in Ivory Park.
Ivory Park was part of pop-up vaccination sites being brought to the taxi industry.
On Tuesday, Mtumaza got his Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the presence of Gauteng transport MEC Jacob Mamabolo.
The MEC, along with members of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), visited the site.
"What motivated me to get vaccinated is the situation I am seeing outside, with Covid-19, so I decided to step forward and also try and protect myself. We were very afraid during the third wave because we work with a lot of people. I will take this vaccination message to all the drivers and all the passengers," said Mtumaza.
This morning we are at Ivory Park, Emthonjeni taxi rank. Our public transport vaccination drive is in full swing #GGTSmartMobility pic.twitter.com/o9JhtNgFQJ
— Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (@GPDRT_) August 17, 2021
Fana Maluleka, also a taxi driver, said he appreciated the convenience of the pop-up site.
"We are very happy to be vaccinated. It was very fast, and we are happy and feeling safe. They (other drivers) must not shy away. There is nowhere to run because we carry the community, so we have to lead the vaccination cause," he said.
"I am feeling much safer because the chances of transmitting the virus to my passengers are low, and they will be safe, and the business will continue growing," he said.
Buti Mkhonza, the chairperson of Santaco, said there were some drivers who were vaccine-hesitant, and the association would keep encouraging them to vaccinate.
Mkhonza said:
The taxi industry vaccination programme was launched last week in Tembisa - and Mamabolo hoped to have at least two pop-up sites per week at different taxi ranks in the province.
"It is important that we target the taxi industry, in particular, as the biggest mode of public transport. It carries 70% of the members of the public who commute on a daily basis. Secondly, because taxi ranks are areas of high transit, they have got drivers who are stationed here all day, as well as commuters," said Mamabolo.
"We know that we have a very worrying phenomenon of vaccine-hesitancy," he said.
On Wednesday, a pop-up site will be running from Bara taxi rank in Soweto.