Canaan Mdletshe

Canaan Mdletshe

Taxi operator Bhekumuzi Thusi is up in arms over what he says is a rip-off by the Department of Transport.

Thusi, 46, of Eshowe in KwaZulu-Natal, says he thought he was doing the right thing when he heeded the government's call to take his old taxi to be scrapped for a new one.

On January 9, he had his taxi scrapped and was promised he would receive his R50000 scrapping allowance within three days. But a month down the line, Thusi is furious and broke.

"I thought I was doing the right thing, but now I regret ever doing it because, though my taxi was old, it was still doing the job," he says.

Thusi says if he had known the process would take this long, he would not have sacrificed his taxi.

He says that when he enquired about the money, he was sent from pillar to post.

According to Willy Mbhense of the KwaZulu-Natal Taxi Council, a number of people who have had their vehicles scrapped have not received the allowance.

Mbhense said although some operators had received their allowances, "most are having difficulty in getting the money".