KZN taxi commuters air concerns over coronavirus
Commuters in KZN who rely on public transport have shared their concerns as the country moves to implement some of the measures announced by the President to arrest the spread of COVID-19.
As Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of disaster on Sunday, he urged citizens to use public transport only if necessary.
A taxi commuter says he wears a mask when travelling by minibus. He says sanitizers should be provided and that safety measures should be taken by each and everybody who uses public transport "Use sanitizers, gloves and masks because at the end of the day this virus is not a joke," he said.
READ: Coronavirus: SA intensifies COVID-19 response
Durban North resident Mbali Mangaye says with the virus now a pandemic she's even more worried about travelling by taxi. " We meet all kinds of people and the biggest problem is that they close the windows -so if someone sneezes and they open that door, you will also open that door. Can you imagine the number of people that will be touching and opening the door so they can jump off the taxi?"
Inanda resident Clive Zama is pleading with fellow commuters to practice proper hygiene for all of their sake. I use public transport every day, it's how I get to work and school. It's such a small space and we all in there together, so I urge other commuters to protect themselves and each other to avoid this virus spreading.
On Tuesday, the Transport Minister also announced the specific measures that are being taken in the public transportation sector.
They include random screening at taxi ranks and train stations- and the sanitisation of minibus taxis and train carriages.
