Bonile Khanyi
It’s never too late to learn something new and this is something 64-year-old taxi owner Veronica Mosiapoa knows all too well. Mosiapoa just completed a programme aimed at changing people’s mindset about the taxi industry.
Mosiapoa who is the secretary at the Dobsonville-Roodeport-Leratong-Johannesburg taxi association, was among 98 taxi bosses who graduated from the programme at the end of October, which was funded by the City of Johannesburg. The course was facilitated by the Universtiy of the Witwatersrand’s School of Governance.
Speaking to Inside Education on Friday, Mosiapoa said if she had not attended the course this year, she wouldn’t have been able to understand why she wasn’t making profit.
“I get money from Monday to Sunday, however this isn’t reflected on my bank statements at the end of the month. After taking this course, I realised that the reason why I wasn’t making any profits or why I didn’t have money in my pockets, was because I did not do money management properly,” said Mosiapoa.
Having a day job at the association from 10am – 3pm and working nightshifts for Rea Vaya, Mosiapoa said it was a mission juggling her daily routine and making the time to study and attending classes.
“It was such an incredible challenge for me, sometimes I felt like not going to school, but I persevered,” said Mosiapoa.
Executive Director for transport in the City of Johannesburg, Lisa Seftel, said the purpose of the course was to build the capacity of taxi owners and shareholders in Rea Vaya bus operating companies to run their businesses, participate in negotiations with the City and understand transport matters.
She said the City of Johannesburg will be running the course again next year and hopes that taxi owners will take the advantage of learning something new which will help them run their businesses well.
“We will register another 100 taxi bosses next year who will be attending the course for seven months,” said Seftel.
