LISTEN | Taxi driver: 'Chances of protecting myself against the virus are slim'

Thousands of commuters interacted as usual with taxi drivers at the Wanderers and Bree Street ranks in Johannesburg on Monday, despite calls for heightened hygiene practices to counter the coronavirus pandemic.

SA has recorded at least 62 cases of Covid-19, and on Sunday evening President Cyril Ramaphosa announced drastic measures on containing the spread of the virus, which he declared a national disaster.

However, there was no signs of any special measures implemented by local transport providers during a visit to the two busy taxi ranks and a bus station.

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Street vendors at taxi ranks prepared meals and served customers as usual. Taxi marshalls called out the names of various destinations and directed commuters to the correct queues, sometimes helping with their luggage. Handshakes were prevalent.

In a minibus taxi scheduled to travel to Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal, two drivers shared a plate of food which they ate with their hands while seated next to each other. 

Asked if they were aware of the pandemic, they replied they had little knowledge.

“We know people get it in the air and by touching each other, but it terms of what causes it and how to avoid it, we are not sure,” said Wandile Zulu.   

Zulu said he had seen one or two passengers wearing face masks in the past week, but was unsure how he could protect himself and commuters.  

“Chances of protecting myself are slim because I talk to and take money from people every day. I can’t tell people not to sit next to each other because our arrangement doesn’t allow for it. The taxi has to be full,” he said.

Another taxi driver, Thulani Khanyile, said: “We are all scared of death, but we have no way of protecting ourselves.”

Khanyile said it would be impossible for many taxi drivers to purchase masks and hand sanitisers because they are too expensive.

“You have to remember most taxi drivers don’t own the taxis. They have to hand over most of what they make and they are left with little. It would be better if these things were supplied to everyone,” said Khanyile.

One association for taxi drivers, the National Taxi Alliance (NTA), has called a media briefing on Tuesday to discuss the pandemic and other issues, according to spokesperson Theo Malele.

At Johannesburg's Park Station, where inter-city buses operate from, a bus marshall said he was not aware of any special precautionary measures for marshalls and tellers. 

“If we have to die, we’ll die. What can we do?" said the marshall, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A "scared" passenger, Refilwe Moleme, who was wearing a face mask, said she had to endure being a laughing stock for taking preventative measures.

“It is a bit discouraging because when I pass by, people look at me and shout 'corona, corona',” she said. 

Moleme, who travelled from Free State to Johannesburg by bus, said she was shocked about the lack of hand sanitisers and face masks in the vehicle.

“I am glad I bought my own because it's like the owners of the bus don’t care,” she said.