Red Dot service taxis for night health workers
VISIBLE: The Red Dot Taxis VISIBLE: The Red Dot Taxis
Travelling to and from work has now been made easier for essential workers thanks to the local government’s brand new Red Dot taxi service.
Transport MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela on Monday launched the Red Dot service which is the first of its kind in South Africa.
The service is called Red Dot because of the sticker on the vehicles, making it easily identifiable for intended passengers.
The service, which is a partnership between the Western Cape government and the minibus taxi industry, will transport health workers outside the lockdown curfew hours.
One hundred taxis have been made available to cover the gap between 7pm and 5am.
Madikizela said the critical transport services are part of the fight against Covid-19.
“Today we are proud to be launching the Red Dot service, these services will safely transport essential healthcare workers who have been left stranded due to limited public transport operating hours in the evenings.”
Under Level 4 regulations of the National State of Disaster, public transport must stop operating at 7pm and may only resume at 5am the next morning.
“This is problematic for many public health employees because their shifts end at 7pm.
“However, the Alert Level 4 regulations also allow essential service employees with the required permits to use chartered transport at times that suit their shifts and working hours,” said Madikizela.
EXCITED: Minister Madikizela with members of SANTACO
Red Dot Lite will provide chartered transport for Department of Health employees who need to travel for work between 7pm and 5am.
From next month the service will transport citizens who tested positive for Covid-19 to public isolation and quarantine centres across the province.
“I want to thank SANTACO Western Cape for their cooperation, enthusiasm, and support for this initiative,” the MEC added.