Western Cape provincial legislature member Ricardo Mackenzie was sworn in as Western Cape MEC for Mobility on Monday 20 February 2023. MacKenzie will jump into the role as the province and commuters prepare for a stay-away by taxi associations this week. 

“I think our biggest challenge over the next few days is to work with our partners in the taxi industry and try to avert Wednesday’s strike,” he told Daily Maverick moments after he was sworn into the role by Deputy Judge President of the Western Cape high court Judge Patricia Goliath.

Mackenzie had replaced Daylin Mitchell, who vacated the position to become the Western Cape legislature Speaker in December 2022. MEC for Agriculture, Ivan Meyer had been acting in the position since Mitchell’s departure. 

Mackenzie’s Department of Mobility, previously known as the Department of Transport and Public Works, will be fully functional from April 2023. Mackenzie’s appointment comes from a promise last week by Western Cape Premier Alan Winde that the vacancy would be filled. 

Read in Daily Maverick: “Alan Winde highlights three key themes – energy, mobility, and policing – in between the heckling”

Before taking up the role, Mackenzie had been the chairperson of the Transport and Public Works oversight committee in the legislature, as well as sitting on other committees such as health, social development, rules as well as finance committees. He had been part of the Democratic Alliance (DA) caucus in the legislature since 2014.  He is also a constituency head for the DA in Mitchell’s Plain. 

“The premier contacted me, gave me this opportunity and now I’m here,” said Mackenzie. 

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Santaco’s Western Cape stay away 

Mackenzie’s immediate duty would be the planned province-wide stay-away by the Western Cape structure of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco). The organisation is conducting the stay away over various issues including the continued ‘unfair’ impoundment of minibus taxis, marginalisation of the taxi industry, and continued problems of the B97 route between Paarl and Bellville. 

“I think our biggest challenge over the next few days is to work with our partners in the taxi industry and try to avert Wednesday’s strike…I’m confident working with our partners we can do it,” said Mackenzie, who added: “I’d say to the commuters they must have confidence in us — this government will work to ensure commuters get to work safely — that’s our most important job because if they get to work safely, then we can preserve jobs”. 

Other immediate issues before Mackenzies’ desk include rail, he confirmed after taking a train to the Cape Town CBD this morning. 

When asked about the transition from the chairperson of the legislature’s oversight committee to the political head, Mackenzie said, “when you have oversight, it’s far easier to speak from a political perspective than when you’re inside when you’re part of the decision making”. 

Mackenzie takes over the role at a time when the provincial education department and taxi industry are at odds over demands from the industry for inclusion in scholar transport. This has left scholars stuck at home in areas such as Mfuleni and Khayelitsha. MEC for Education, David Maynier has laid criminal charges and has launched a court interdict against operators who prevent scholars from reaching schools. On Friday 17 February, Maynier said the courts recognised the urgency, and Codeta (one of the biggest taxi organisations in the city), has agreed to suspend their blockade until the matter can be heard before the courts. 

In a statement, Premier Winde said fo his newest appointment, “Mr Mackenzie is a seasoned and dedicated public servant, passionate about transport-related issues…With him as the province’s new Mobility Minister, he will drive the Western Cape Government’s commitment to transform public transport, ensuring it is safe, reliable, and affordable for our citizens.” DM