Part 1 Linkages to Metropolitan Transport Hubs
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PART 1 THE TOWNSHIP LINKAGES TO METROPOLITAN IMIZAMO YETHU TAXI ECONOMY TRANSPORT HUBS CENTRAL UNIT In January 2013 the Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation in partnership with the Department of Political Science at the University of the Western Cape undertook an CAPE AMALGAMATED area-based study of informal micro-enterprise activities in Imizamo Yethu. The research identified and then mapped the spatial distribution of economic activities. TAXI ASSOCIATION An important component of informal business in this township was the transport sector, comprising private vehicles, formal mini-bus taxis, informal taxis, school TAXI ASSOCIATION transport services, freight services and employee transport services. These various activities link the township to the Hout Bay local economy and key transport hubs within the Metro. As public transport is an important and profitable sector for emerging entrepreneurs, there has been considerable conflict between rival organisations and individual operators over market access to the routes serving commuters from Imizamo Yethu. This infographic presents the core findings of our CUTA research on the spatial characteristics and material flows of the township transport sector in a case study context. CATA Greenpoint BEFORE 10am AFTER 10am BEFORE 9am AFTER 9am Seapoint Cape Town Station ! CATA rank CATA rank IY IY IY IY CUTA rank CUTA rank ADULT FARES IY to Sea Point - R6 Spar Checkers Spar Checkers Checkers Checkers Spar Spar CTS to Sea Point - R6 IY to CTS - R10 Wynberg to Houtbay - R8 Wynberg to Victoria Hospital - R5 Wynberg to Southern Cross - R6 CATA rank CATA rank Hout Bay Harbour rank Hout Bay Harbour rank Camps Bay SCHOOL SERVICE THE ROUTE CAN ALTER IN RESPONSE TO THE Sentinel (7am) & Harbour High (7h30am) IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF R150 per month CUTA TAXI ROUTES THE CUSTOMERS CATA TAXI ROUTES The o cial route provides a link between Hout Bay, Imizamo Yethu and the Cape Town Station. The route via Seapoint or The o ce route provides a link between Hout Bay, Imizamo Yethu and Wynberg Station. The route is Kloof Nek CHILDREN’S FARES dynamics, however, are partially emergent, changing in response to passenger needs and local business Children pay full price, however, those similarly flexible and can change in response to customer needs. The organisation of the route is centred opportunities between these destinations. The organisation of the route is centred on the informal taxi under 3 years travel free. on the informal taxi rank, situated at the Constantia end entrance to the township. CATA operates a formal rank, situated adjacent to the police station and main entrance into Imizamo Yethu. rank at the harbour (Hangberg), which supplies the informal rank and route with additional passengers. THE ROUTE CAN ALTER IN RESPONSE TO THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF TAXI ROUTE BEFORE 10am TAXI ROUTE DURING OFF PEAK DAILY TAXI OPERATIONS THE CUSTOMERS TAXI ROUTE BEFORE 9am TAXI ROUTE DURING OFF PEAK via Constantia PnP or Wynberg Station Before 10am taxis will drive into From 10am until the evening The rank marshal logs the taxi when Southern Cross One leg of the Hout Bay-Wynberg The taxis begin their journey at the After 10am, taxis queue at the Hout Bay via the Spar-harbour- peak, the route does not go past they drive through the circle at the Southern Cross Hospital route begins at the formal Hangberg CATA rank and then Hangberg CATA rank for no longer Checkers and then to the CUTA the harbour or drive direclty to entrance to Imizamo Yethu, giving Hangberg CATA rank. The taxis drive to the informal rank, than 10 minutes and then depart, rank located opposite the Police the CUTA rank. Instead the taxis them a position in the queue for Victoria Hospital then stop at the Imizamo Yethu collecting passengers along the whether full or not. The taxi then has Station situated along Main Road. drive straight into Imizamo Yethu departures to Cape Town. If the Imizamo Yethu informal rank which is part of the route before stopping at the to stop at the Imizamo Yethu rank Drivers will collect and drop of dropping o passengers within driver chooses not to sit and wait at Wynberg route. If they arrive at the informal rank to load awaiting and transfer their passengers to passengers along this section of the the settlement, driving along NR the rank, the marshal will call the CATA rank informal rank and there is a taxi in passengers. A taxi marshal based at taxis already in the queue there route. The final stop will be at the Mandela Drive. On exiting the taxi driver when it is their turn at the queue, the drivers are required the Hangberg rank controls the since the first in the queue are CUTA rank from where they will township, the taxis’ drive to the front of the queue. to o-load their passengers to fill route and co-ordinates with a aorded route preference. commence the journey to Cape Checkers centre, dropping o CUTA rank the taxi in the front of the queue. marshal at the informal rank. Town Station Deck, either via customers along the route or During the peak hours the rank is Camps Bay (over Kloof Nek) or via picking up others going into Cape very busy with long queues of Sea Point. Town. They then return to the passengers, and thus the taxis CUTA rank to join the queue. Any that depart Hangberg make a The first taxis start at 5am, with passengers collected along the quick stop at Imizamo Yethu to peak hours from 6am - 8am. route will disembark and get into fillup before proceeding Average individual taxi trips during the taxi in the front of the queue. to Wynberg. peak morning: 6 Average individual trips during peak evening: 6 Harbour rank CATA CUTA 66 AMALGAMATED TO FORM +200 HOUT BAY OWNERS MINIBUS DRIVERS TAXIS APPROXIMATELY ASSOCIATION 7 TRIPS OWNERS MINIBUS DRIVERS PER DAY TAXIS AMAPHELA IN ONE DIRECTION SMALL TAXIS AMALGAMATED TO FORM 60 20 APPROXIMATELY 15 TRIPS HOUT BAY NO SCHOOL TAXIS PER DAY AFFILIATED INCLUDES SCHOOL TAXIS IY TAXI UNITED CENTRAL FROM HOUT BAY TO SEA ASSOCIATION POINT, AND FROM SEA POINT ASSOCIATION TAXI ASSOCIATION TO WOODSTOCK AMAHOENDER SMALL TAXIS 20 50 80 20 20 20 OWNERS DRIVERS OWNERS “UNREGISTERED” DRIVERS TAXIS / AMAHOENDER CUTA FINANCE FLOWS CATA FINANCE FLOWS MARKET COMPETITION TARGETS vs COMMISSION There exists market competition Taxi owners remunerate drivers ASSOCIATION MORE between the two taxi either on a target basis or LESS PROFITABLE FINES FEE CUTA associations, CUTA and CATA, commission basis. In the target PROFITABLE FINES CATA ROUTE ROAD WORTHY PERMIT ROUTE ROAD WORTHY PERMIT DRIVERS LICENCE ASSOCIATION owing to the fact the Cape Town - system, the driver must achieve a DRIVERS LICENCE ASSOCIATION Hout Bay route is more profitable daily minimum return for the owner, SYSTEM BOUNDARY DENOTES THE than the Wynberg-Hout Bay with his / her earnings determined SYSTEM BOUNDARY DENOTES THE VARIABLES THAT WERE COLLECTED route. by his / her ability to exceed these VARIABLES THAT WERE COLLECTED DRIVERS AND AS PART OF THIS STUDY. AS PART OF THIS STUDY. OWNERS LIVE OUT- targets. In the commission system, DRIVERS AND SIDE IY: THEIR EXTRA SEATS, EXTRA INCOME the taxi owners usually take 70% of OWNERS LIVE IN IY: INCOME LESS LIKELY the income derived from the day’s THEIR INCOME TO CONTRIBUTE TO “Laptops” are extra seats that get operation. Drivers consider the MORE LIKELY TO THE IY ECONOMY added to the rows of seats within CONTRIBUTE TO THE commission system to provide the taxi to increase the number of IY ECONOMY RANK them with a higher level of income. RANK passengers that the taxi can carry. MARSHAL Most drivers are engaged on the MARSHAL RANK SALARY This illegal practice enables the RANK SALARY MECHANICS OWNER GI target system. MECHANICS OWNER GI MARSHAL driver to achieve his targets more MARSHAL TIPS quickly and thus enhance his/her TIPS earnings. PRICING MONEY RECEIVED The associations decide on the MONEY RECEIVED BY DRIVER HANDED BY DRIVER HANDED OVER DAILY TO THE OWNERSHIP route fare. The price is influenced OVER DAILY TO THE OWNER by the cost of petrol, but it doesn't OWNER The majority of the formal taxis always go up with petrol increases. APPROXIMATELY operating from Imizamo Yethu R500 - R900 Fare price increases more typically APPROXIMATE are owned by non-residents. DAILY TARGET = R500 PAID TO THE OWNER HOUSEHOLD follow changes to major inflationary HOUSEHOLD PER DAY INCLUDING FUNERAL PLAN These taxi owners reside outside increases in input costs and the the township with the operators cost of living, especially food. The typically owning between last price increase was in 2010. The two-three vehicles. CUTA owners taxi drivers play an important role are racially diverse (‘coloured’ and GROSS INCOME DRIVER FINES GROSS INCOME DRIVER FINES SPEEDING AND GOVERNMENT in motivating for price increases as SPEEDING AND GOVERNMENT FROM FARES PER ‘black’ persons), whereas CATA FROM FARES PER GI OVERLOADING operating costs aect their daily GI OVERLOADING DRIVER PER DAY owners are predominantly ‘black’ DRIVER PER DAY targets. Since the driver has to pay persons in terms of South African for petrol out of his wage, the racial categorisations. increases in petrol prices reduce CUSTOMERS PETROL his/ her earnings unless these cost CUSTOMERS PETROL INCREASING PROFITABILITY increases are oset through raising There are no conductors THE DRIVER KEEPS the fares. The drivers will report THE DRIVER KEEPS APPROXIMATELY (gaatjies) on these routes because back to the owners if they are APPROXIMATELY FIXED DAILY PAYMENT IRREGULAR PAYMENT R400 - R500 AFTER there is not a high turnover of struggling to make their targets, FIXED DAILY PAYMENT IRREGULAR PAYMENT R400 - R500 AFTER PAYING FOR FUEL passengers which would and the owner will in turn raise the PAYING FOR FUEL necessitate stopping the taxi issue with the association.