The government should hold a transport summit urgently to ensure that questions about the taxi recapitalisation and bus rapid transit system are answered, the UDM said on Monday.

There were issues surrounding the bus rapid transit (BRT) operators, taxi recapitalisation promises and the implementation of integrated rapid public transport networks, United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa wrote in a letter to president Kgalema Motlanthe.

"The situation is being aggravated by the insistence of government that taxi owners should buy their new taxis from China, irrespective of the industry's concerns regarding the durability and safety of these vehicles," Holomisa said.

There were also questions about Transport Minister Jeff Radebe's reluctance "to be transparent on who the real owners of these BRT operators are.

State-run or private

"Is this state-run transport or are these buses private ventures?" Holomisa asked after speaking to the Western Cape leadership of the National Taxi Association in Cape Town on Sunday.

"If the latter, why would government subsidise them and invest in infrastructure to promote their business, whilst the established taxi industry (which continues to be single biggest and most important public transport stakeholder) receives no such government support?"

The SA National Taxi Association (Santaco) was accused of not telling its members what the government had told it.

"The industry is increasingly left with the impression that Santaco is systematically selling their industry to the highest bidder," Holomisa said.

"The taxi industry told me that on 4 December 2008 all the taxi industry representatives converged on Midrand to discuss this matter, but the minister did not turn up and it was announced that he would address the meeting via satellite.

"It left the impression that he did not want to engage in real consultations or discussions.

Bellicose and arrogant

"The bellicose and arrogant approach of the minister, who seems hell-bent on forcing this new system onto the taxi industry runs contrary to the ethics of good governance," he wrote.

Holomisa called on the government to urgently hold the proposed transport summit to ensure everybody was reading from the same page.

He also wanted local governments to suspend the implementation of the BRT until there was clarity and consensus between all affected parties.

Holomisa also called on Motlanthe to form a committee to which the transport industry and government could submit their views and concerns regarding the transformation of public transport and the creation of integrated rapid public transport networks.

"The March 2009 deadline of the department of transport to implement this policy whilst there has not been proper consultation, is creating further confusion at national, provincial and local level," Holomisa wrote.