This, as pictures depicting the absence of social distancing on Interstate Bus Lines have been circulated on various social media platforms. Interstate reveals the shift to lockdown level three has resulted in an increase in demand for public transportation. This as more people have received the green light to return to work.  Since 2 June, Interstate was forced to increase the number of available buses from 120 to 207 to meet the demand within the outlined regulations. The bus liner now concedes they are struggling to meet this increasing demand for transportation and need some assistance from government with regards to the regulations.

Level three regulations force buses to adhere to a loading capacity of 50%, while minibus taxis must adhere to 70%. The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has announced that the price for taxi fares nationwide will go up by between 10% and 25% from 1 July this year. South Africans have already expressed their displeasure at this sharp increase, taking into consideration pay cuts and retrenchments across multiple industries. The taxi industry countrywide is also threatening to stage a shutdown should they not receive the relief government promised the industry during level 5. On Wednesday, the Transport Department informed parliament members that most of the taxi relief proposals for the taxi industry have been agreed to and adopted.

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