Transport and Public Works

In order for people to be transported in safety and dignity- and for the minibus taxi industry to prosper, the biggest challenge that we have to overcome is that of taxi violence. Addressing taxi violence has therefore been a specific focus area of the department.

• My Department has worked hard at fostering a cooperative and supportive relationship with the SAPS, the NPA and other key Government stakeholders in order to restore stability and peace in the industry.
•  A Conflict Management Action Plan (CMAP) which was developed and signed by key Government stakeholders including municipalities, traffic authorities and the SAPS provided agreed internal procedures to be followed in cases of disputes between taxi operators and associations, and established protocols to be followed by all government stakeholders in the event of violent conflict in the public transport domain.
• To better understand the root causes of taxi conflict and violence, my Department and I embarked on an outreach programme to communities and the taxi industry in August 2020 already – as soon as restrictions on movement allowed for us to visit taxi ranks to speak directly to drivers, operators and commuters.
• The outreach programme, which is still ongoing, also allows us to engage with mayors, councilors and officials to address the practical concerns and challenges that operators, drivers and commuters face on a daily basis, such as: 

• The need for regular cleaning of ranks (raised in Knysna and other ranks)
• The availability and cleanliness of toilet facilities at taxi ranks
• Taxi recapitalization (raised in Mosselbay)
• Liaison structures between operators and municipal officials
• In addition to our provincial Outreach programme, Minister Mbalula and I hosted a provincial taxi lekgotla on the 15^th of October to allow the taxi industry and affected stakeholders to ventilate overarching issues that affect the industry and may have contributed to conflict, including:   
• Regulation
• Professionalization and Customer Care and    
• Empowerment

• Our outreach programme also includes regular engagements between myself, officials from my Department, officials from the City of Cape Town and the leadership of SANTACO in the Western Cape. 
• In addition, my officials and I have, on several occasions, met with the leadership of CATA and Codeta to address their role as so-called ’mother-bodies’ in conflicts over routes and the recruitment of illegal operators throughout the province.
• The practice by these ‘mother-bodies’ of recruiting route associations in other regions is itself problematic and may not be in line with the constitution of SANTACO.  If needs be, we will approach the Courts to obtain a declaratory order to resolve this issue and stop further recruitment and route invasions which are significant contributors to the violence and conflict. 

• I have made it clear to the industry leaders that the current image of a warring, blood-soaked minibus taxi industry will only change when leaders commit to
  • peace and unity;
  • to professionalizing their operations – including the working conditions of drivers
  • operating within a transparent regulatory framework (not invading the routes of others and recruiting illegal operators)
  • and working with Government to empower the industry through partnership

• With regards to attacks on buses, my Department has engaged actively with SAPS, urging them to take additional action to bring the perpetrators to book.  Provincial Traffic Services have also increased their presence in hotspots areas, and we have implored SAPS and the City to do the same.  In addition, GABS have increased their own security capacity to prevent these attacks from taking place.