Close to 2,000 illegal taxis in South Africa to be scrapped
The Department of Transport says that it has identified over 2,300 illegal minibus taxis in South Africa, most of which will have to be scrapped.
This comes as part of the department’s 2019 road safety campaign, where it moved to identify and remove Toyota panel vans that were illegally converted into taxis from the country’s roads.
The department introduced a Taxi Recapitalization Programme as a consequence of unsafe taxi vehicles that resulted in injury and loss of life, it said.
In a gazette published on Monday (31 October), the department said that 2,353 converted panel vans were identified as being illegally converted. Of the converted panel vans, 436 were retrofitted, and 1,917 will have to be scrapped.
Illegally converted Toyota Panel Vans must be surrendered for scrapping at the Taxi Recapitalization South Africa by 31 January 2023, it said.
“The owner of an illegally converted Toyota Panel Van must have an operating license or permit linked to the vehicle and also in the owner’s name to qualify for a scrapping allowance,” the department said.
After the expiry date, no illegally converted Toyota panel vans will be allowed to transport passengers for reward and law enforcement authorities will impound such vehicles.
The move to scrap illegal taxis in the country coincides with a concerted effort from the government to formalise and professionalize the industry.
Plans laid out by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) looking ahead to 2050 envision a public transport system that includes a formalised minibus taxi industry at its core.
According to the DPWI, minibus taxis now account for 80% of public transport trips in South Africa. The number of households who use taxis increased from 9.8 million in 2013 to 11.4 million in 2020.
The plan focuses on land passenger transport modes in the country involving the majority of people – specifically trains, buses and minibus taxis – in both rural and urban centres across short and long-distance travel.
These transport systems will need to be upgraded and integrated with emerging technologies, including electric vehicle fleets. Minibus taxis need to be part of this upgrade process, it said.
Regarding minibus taxis, the government will proceed with formalising the industry and integrating it into the public transport system, the department said, and clarity must be provided on what state support will be given to the sector.
In May, transport minister Fikile Mbalula said that the government plans to move forward on its plan to formalise South Africa’s R50 billion taxi industry – including the introduction of subsidies.
Mbalula said the formalisation process would include an element of self-regulation from drivers and owners.
“We remain on track to achieve formalization of the industry both in terms of entrenching democratic practice from association level to the national council and in terms of commercial activity. We can no longer afford protracted conversations but should have a singular focus on implementation.
“The key commitment we have made in this regard is to enable partial self-regulation where Santaco (South African National Taxi Council) plays a key role as a custodian of the standard constitution and code of conduct with a mandate to regulate the conduct of members and associations,” he said.
Private groups are also playing a role in this transformation. A consortium of business groups and researchers announced plans to test electric mini-bus taxis in South Africa in 2023.
The pilot project will initially begin in and around Stellenbosch, with plans to expand the project into an educational roadshow in all nine provinces in the course of 2023.
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