The Taxi Tumult

An industry responsible for moving most of Africa’s people is heading for even more strife. Taxi owners, and the commuters who rely on them, are going to suffer.

- Aviwe Mtila

It’s a business that has seen blood and conflict. It’s an industry that’s blocked the streets in anger. Yet, with more than 15 million customers a day, it can make you a fortune. That’s why people in South Africa are fighting over the taxi industry.

In Johannesburg, known as the City of Gold, the taxi business can mean gold for the grandchildren… or can it? As South Africa goes through tough economic times, the owners of this industry are also feeling the pinch. Conflict is brewing. Most drivers are angry with the threat of a strike looming nearer each day.

The customers aren’t happy either. Every day, millions of South Africans move through the thousands of taxi ranks around the country. They may struggle to do so in future. Many are struggling as the cost of using taxis keeps increasing.

“If you’re looking from one where I’m from, it’s already R18 ($1.35), so that makes it R36 ($2.70) a day just to get to Johannesburg. Sometimes I catch two taxis, so we’re talking plus minus R60 ($4.50), R70 ($5.30) a day,” says a commuter at the Noord Taxi Rank, one of South Africa’s busiest.

“If the taxi fare were to go up I would cry because that means everything will go up as well,” says another.

The numbers tell the story: 40% of 56 million South Africans use public transport. 

Nine million people take buses, two million use trains, and the taxis get the lion’s share, with over 15 million customers a day. Sixty nine percent of all homes use minibus taxis. That’s almost a staggering 5.5 billion taxi trips every year.

In an office far from the honking horns of the streets, Sihle Mkhize is fighting for his fellow taxi drivers. Mkhize owns six taxis and is the face of the biggest taxi association in the country, Faraday Taxi Association.