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Minister revises operating hours for taxis and buses to accommodate SASSA grant beneficiaries

todayMarch 30, 2020 21

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Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has relaxed operating hours for taxis and buses as of Monday till Friday, April 3.

The ministry announced that minibus taxis and buses will operate from 05h00am till 20h00pm daily. This as scores of elderly people and people living with disabilities will collect their social grants across the country.

“Having considered Minister Zulu’s request and representations made by various industry bodies, including the taxi industry, I have decided to amend the Public Transport Directions in order to accommodate grant beneficiaries,” said Mbalula.

Last week Sunday the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) announced that some of its grants would be paid out on the 30th and 31st of March. The announcement by Sassa followed shortly after President Cyril Ramaphosa declared Covid-19 a National Disaster. The social security agency said the move was in an effort to ease congestion at pay points in the wake of the virus. All other grants such as child support  will however be paid from April 1. Mbalula has urged all grant recipients to carry their identity documents as well as their SASSA cards when traveling on public transport to assist law enforcement efforts. He also stressed the exercise of social distancing by all those using public transport.

“Further directions will be issued in this regard,” Mbalula added.

The latest confirmed cases of Covid-19 in South Africa stand at 1187 with only one death recorded.

 

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