Transport minister says the taxi industry must shift to automated, digital transactions

[porchrat]

This is how the government gets their fingers into the untaxed economy. They preach that cashless is good. The only people it is good for is the government. Always remember "Cash is King"

It's good for me, a current taxpayer. SARS will slow down on trying to bleed me dry if they suddenly get access to the incredible tax revenue possible from the informal economy.

 

[ToxicBunny]

The Western Cape has shifted for taxis to switch to digital payment systems already. In a way yes it means they will have to pay more tax, but from a business aspect it also adds more benefits too, easier financing of loans, etc.

You may want to temper your belief in that, its a pilot on 2 routes only at the moment.

There is a VERY long way to go before its widely adopted.

 

[Mista_Mobsta]

The banks also want their slice and forcing people away from cash gives them an even bigger one.

Looking at the cost of withdrawing money lately, it might just be in the banks' favor to keep the cash economy alive!

That being said, I have heard many stories from various domestic employees and workers over the years regarding how easy it is for criminals to steal their hard earned cash whilst they wait for transport or just whilst walking home etc.

 

[Mista_Mobsta]

This is how the government gets their fingers into the untaxed economy. They preach that cashless is good. The only people it is good for is the government. Always remember "Cash is King"

We can't be hypocritical about it

On the one hand: Taxis need to pay taxes just like everyone else! They are a menace!
On the other hand: Taxis shouldn't pay taxes as government just steals it all and wants their slice of the informal pie!

 

[gconey]

Actually not 30 years. Because there you got it wrong. Technically its only the last 18 years.
You see apartheid left South Africa with a LOT of debt, thats how the Apartheid government imploded.

And then Thabo Mbeki paid it all off, other than about R0.5 trillion still left to be paid, we went unscathed through the world economic crisis (US housing crisis collapse), and the rand for once was actually strengthening and then BAM Zuma fired Mbeki.

Technically Mbeki only had 1 term and could actually come back.

No the ANC didnt sledge hammer our economy, that was Zuma...18 years ago.

Maybe youre still a bit young but under Mbeki we built 1.8 million houses, reduced debt to R0.5 trillion, the rand was R6.54 against the dollar (although its been weakening since 1978), SOE was one of the top rated, Eskom was one of the best rated and cheapest energy companies in the world, and we made a Budget Surplus (not a Budget Deficit of 8-10% under Ramaphosa. Unemployment was also down to 22% nationwide (34-35% today, and less than the 28% under PW Botha), and growth was 5.4% per year, far better than FW, Zuma and Ramaphosa (0.4%).

So defs not 30 years.

Maybe you have amnesia (at your advanced age) but the arms deal started 4 years into the ANC's tenure, so the rot started long before Zuma's tenure.

 

[Hemi300c]

Like fvck they will.

 

[animal531]

Ctrack along with a partner had a project for this, probably 12 years ago using the NorthWest as a test platform. Commuters would get cards that they could load money onto and then use those to swipe when they boarded taxis.

Predictably it didn't really go anywhere, there are just too many layers of middle-men in the taxi industry who needed their cut for the project to go anywhere.

 

[wingnut771]

Absolute nonsense, this is about forcing cash-based economies into tax compliance. Cash is not a risk, never has been and never will be - unless you are an idiot anyway. The push to 100% controlled digital transaction is part ofthe plan to control everything we do, it is in effect the move to modern day slavery, by a government of criminals who have have stolen more than the entire population combined has.

I must say, apple pay has changed my life. Dont even need a wallet anymore.

 

[crxboy]

I agree wholeheartedly that taxes need to be paid by all (especially multi-billion rand industries) - but looking at the last few decades very little of the additional tax revenue will end up to the benefit of citizens. South African politicians/government are the biggest load of bullshitters and liars (all of them) - politics in SA has become about self-preservation at the expense of the citizens.

Read Animal Farm again - please don't quote "all animals are equal..." - I think it skews the principal message that Orwell wanted to convey. There are none so blind as those who will not see.

 

[wingnut771]

I agree wholeheartedly that taxes need to be paid by all (especially multi-billion rand industries) - but looking at the last few decades very little of the additional tax revenue will end up to the benefit of citizens. South African politicians/government are the biggest load of bullshitters and liars (all of them) - politics in SA has become about self-preservation at the expense of the citizens.

Read Animal Farm again - please don't quote "all animals are equal..." - I think it skews the principal message that Orwell wanted to convey. There are none so blind as those who will not see.

Did you forget about the second half of that quote?

 

[crxboy]

Did you forget about the second half of that quote?
View attachment 1912843

No I did not. Admittedly I have a unreasonable pet peeve / knee jerk reaction to people responding with the quote whenever Animal Farm is mentioned - most of the time it is clear they have not actually read the book.

In my view, the book is about the rest of the animals believing the lies they are being fed without question. Readers often miss the importance of the responsibility of the followers to actually question what they are being told.

Just my interpretation.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Ctrack along with a partner had a project for this, probably 12 years ago using the NorthWest as a test platform. Commuters would get cards that they could load money onto and then use those to swipe when they boarded taxis.

Predictably it didn't really go anywhere, there are just too many layers of middle-men in the taxi industry who needed their cut for the project to go anywhere.

I also know of someone else who was trying a similar thing about 10 years ago, and yeah it hobbled along for about a year before the plug was pulled because no taxi owner was going to bite.