At the end of January, Behardien said his association launched the Tap-I-Fare card payment system for which 5000 cards started circulating last Wednesday and were inter-operable with the MyCiTi bus service and Johannesburg’s Reya Vaya bus service.

As a pilot project, the card system was being implemented in 42 vehicles which ran the city to V&A Waterfront route, and would be rolled out to other routes in future.

The 42 vehicles had wireless hand-held devices upon which the cards were swiped.

The card did not eliminate the use of cash, he said, but gave commuters another option.

A brochure, with an Absa logo declaring that the Tap-I-Fare card was supported by Absa, detailed terms and conditions, stating that the issuer may charge a fee for the card and a fee for loading money on to it.

Fees would be charged for the use of the card depending on the transport mode used; the amount of these fees would “be made available to you by the user from time to time; any changes will be communicated to you within a reasonable time and fees will be available at any Tap-I-Fare loading point”.

Behardien said the introduction of the Tap-I-Fare payment card had nothing to do with the city’s introduction of MyCiTi’s myconnect card.

He said his association had been investigating alternative payment options for a “few years already” and many companies had previously approached them to enter into partnership, but after extensive investigations, the initiative with Absa was the best option.

“As the most progressive taxi association in the country, it was always the vision of the PTA to look ahead and preempt the ever-changing needs of the commuter.

“This meant changes had to be made to keep up with the times, and this card payment system was but one option that was explored,” he said.

He said an initial 5000 cards were issued by Absa and another batch of 5000 cards was awaited.

“The first 1000 commuters to purchase a card will get it for R10. Thereafter, it will cost R20,” he said.

Taxi fare from central Cape Town to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is R4.

However, cardholders – who would be able to swipe their cards on handheld devices when they entered the taxi – would be charged R3.50.