Taxi wars in South Africa

Last updated

The term taxi war refer to the turf wars fought between taxi associations and individual minibus taxi drivers in South Africa from the late 1980s onwards [1] to the present. [2]

Contents

The multi-billion rand minibus taxi industry carries over 60% of South Africa's commuters. [1] [3] Generally speaking, these commuters are all of the lower economic class. Wealthy individuals drive their own cars for safety and convenience. The industry is almost entirely made up of sixteen-seater commuter Toyota Quantum buses, which are sometimes unsafe or not roadworthy. Minibus taxi drivers are well known for their disregard for the rules of the road and their proclivity for dangerously overloading their vehicles with passengers. [4]

Due to an effectively unregulated market and the fierceness of competition for passengers and lucrative routes, taxi operators banded together to form local and national associations. These associations soon exhibited mafia-like tactics, including the hiring of hitmen and all-out gang warfare. [5] [6] Taxi associations have also engaged in anti-competitive price fixing. [7] Notable taxi operators include the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) and Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (CODETA) in Cape Town.

Causes

Prior to 1987, the South African taxi industry was highly regulated and controlled, with Black people being refused permits under apartheid laws. Sixteen-seater minibuses were illegal to operate as taxis. After 1987, the industry was rapidly deregulated, leading to an influx of new minibus taxi operators keen to make money from the high demand for their service. Because the taxi industry was largely unregulated and the official regulating bodies were deeply corrupt, the industry quickly became criminal in nature. [5]

The economic triggers for the wars were intertwined with political unrest around the time of the abolition of apartheid in 1994. Commuters were often the target of political violence not necessarily related to the taxi industry itself. Often, the warring factions involved were from opposing political parties, such as the Inkatha Freedom Party and African National Congress. In the years leading up to the end of apartheid, the National Party government is believed to have actively encouraged this violence so as to destabilise its political opposition. [8] For example, in 1998, thirteen police officers were charged with complicity in taxi violence. [9]

Timeline

Passengers packed inside a taxi. Inside a taxi 3.jpg
Passengers packed inside a taxi.

Pre-1977: State-owned monopoly

The Motor Carrier Transportation Act of 1930 prohibited transportation of goods and passengers by road for profit without a permit from the Local Road Transportation Board (LRTB). [1] The South African transport industry was essentially a state monopoly held by the South African Transport Service (SATS). Taxi owners operating outside the jurisdiction of the LRTB were operating illegally. These taxi operators started banding together into local informal associations.

1977–1987: Impetus towards deregulation

Along with growing political pressure, the 1976 Soweto Riots prompted the apartheid government to form a commission of inquiry into the transport industry. In 1977, the Van Breda Commission of Inquiry recommended freer competition and less regulation in the industry. The commission realised that the transport industry was becoming highly politicised and that it was no longer in the government's best interests to participate in the transport market. [5]

In 1979, the first national association of black taxi drivers was established: the South African Black Taxi Association (SABTA). In the years to come, rival organisations, such as the South African Long Distance Taxi Association (SALDTA), [10] would be formed. This body, along with other political bodies at the time, started putting pressure on the government to deregulate the industry. Impetus towards a free market economy grew stronger in the late 1980s. [1]

1987–1996: Deregulation

The White Paper on Transport Policy, tabled in January 1987, in conjunction with the Transport Deregulation Act of 1988, [11] effectively deregulated South Africa's entire taxi industry overnight, making minibus taxis legal. [5] This change gave birth to the taxi industry as it exists in its current form. The permit-issuing process was rife with corruption; permits were essentially given away to favoured applicants. For all intents and purposes, there was no control whatsoever. [5] In the absence of official controls, the now-growing taxi organisations began using their influence to make more money to intimidate competitors. The authorities did little or nothing to stop the violence. [5]

1994–1999: Post-apartheid violence

In contrast to expectations, taxi-related violence intensified after the fall of apartheid. [1] In 1995, the government established the National Taxi Task Team (NTTT) to arrive at a solution to the violence. In 1996, the NTTT's first report recommended the immediate re-regulation of the taxi industry. However, the government's attempts at re-regulation were actively resisted by the now extremely powerful "mother" organisations that controlled the taxi industry, leading to an escalation of violence between 1998 and 1999. [1]

1999–2010: Recapitalisation

Modern share taxi in Cape Town. Wikimania 2018, Cape Town (P1050535).jpg
Modern share taxi in Cape Town.

The South African government intended for The National Land Transport Transition Act, Act No 22 of 2000 to help formalise and re-regulate the now out-of-control taxi industry. [7] [12] Along with new legislation, the government instituted a four year re-capitalisation scheme that same year. The intention of this scheme was to replace the fifteen-seater minibuses with eighteen- and thirty-five-seater minibuses. [10] There have been a number of delays in this process. Firstly, the government has been waiting for the taxi industry to form one cohesive association that can speak on behalf of taxi owners; secondly, there is a lot of disagreement from taxi owners as to the nature that the re-capitalisation scheme should take. One major sticking point is the possibility of job losses caused by the uptake of the larger buses. The government attempted to do research into the extent of the prospective job losses in 2000, but the research team was threatened and their work was abandoned.

In 2004, the minister of transport released a revised re-capitalisation timeline, which was scheduled to start in 2005 and end seven years later. [13] At the time of writing the TRP had started, although plagued by delays. [14]

According to the Transport Department, 1,400 old and unsafe taxis have been scrapped, with 80% of the taxi fleet expected to be recapitalised by the 2009/10 financial year. [15] The recapitalisation continues to fuel conflicts within and between taxi associations, as well as between taxi associations and government agencies. [16]

2010-present: Increased taxi violence

On 25 December 2020 nine people died and multiple others were injured in the Mount Ayliff Christmas Day Massacre which resulted from a taxi dispute between competing taxi operators. [17]

Train fire the Cape Town Railway Station and taxi rank linked to taxi operators. 2018 Cape Town train fire.jpg
Train fire the Cape Town Railway Station and taxi rank linked to taxi operators.

Cape Town

In Cape Town taxi operators have been linked to a number of arson attacks on passenger rail services and buses, acts of extortion, murder, and violent conflicts between operators. In July 2021 a spike in taxi violence occurred as Conflict between minibus taxi operators CATA and CODETA for control over the B97 taxi route between Bellville and Paarl [19] resulting in the 2021 Cape Town taxi conflict. At least seven taxi drivers were killed in separate shootings incidents throughout the City of Cape Town. [20] Taxi operators are known to extort private passenger services in an effort to force them out of the market and reduce competition. [21] Multiple protests by mini-bus taxi operators against the authorities for impounding taxis violating road, road worthiness and municipal bylaws have occurred. [22] [23] [24] In response to legal violations by mini-bus taxis the City of Cape Town has introduced policies to more effectively clamp down on the industry. [21]

In August 2023 a violent taxi strike was declared by the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco). [25]

Train arson

Burnt out Metrorail carriages in Cape Town in 2018 Burnt Metrorail train.jpg
Burnt out Metrorail carriages in Cape Town in 2018

A number of arson attacks on passenger trains in Cape Town have been linked to the minibus taxi industry. [26] Convicted arsonist and taxi rank employee Ricardo Khan testified to the Blue Downs Magistrates' Court "that he gets paid more if more taxis are in operation and business is good" following the torching of a train. [26] [27] Around 140 train carriages had been destroyed on the Cape Town system in a series of "well organised" weekly arson attacks by 2018. [18]

Long distance bus routes

A number of attacks on long-distance bus operators in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Gauteng by minibus taxi associations were reported in 2022. The bus industry alleges that the attacks were motivated by the minibus taxi associations desire to control long distance bus routes and extortion of existing long-distance bus operators. [28] "Between January 2021 and February 2022, over 150 incidents of shootings, stonings and other acts of violence and intimidation directed at bus drivers and passengers were reported to South African Police Service (SAPS) in the three provinces." [28]

Death toll

Taxi-related violence death toll [5]
Number of deathsNumber of injuries
1991123156
1992184293
1993330526
1994123292
1995197282
1996243331
1997243331
1998246343
1999258287

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Botswana</span>

Transportation in Botswana is provided by an extensive network of railways, highways, ferry services and air routes that criss-cross the country. The transport sector in Botswana played an important role in economic growth following its independence in 1966. The country discovered natural resources which allowed it to finance the development of infrastructure, and policy ensured that the transport sector grew at an affordable pace commensurate with demands for services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Town</span> Legislative capital of South Africa

Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the country's second-largest city, after Johannesburg, and the largest in the Western Cape. The city is part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality.

Different methods of transportation in South Africa include roads, railways, airports, and water. Most people in South Africa use informal minibus taxis as their primary mode of transport. BRT, a bus service, has been implemented in some South African cities to provide more formalised and safer public transport services. These systems have been criticised due to their significant capital and operating costs. South Africa has many major ports, including Cape Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durban</span> Third largest city in South Africa

Durban is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South Africa, on the Natal Bay of the Indian Ocean, Durban is South Africa's busiest port and was formerly named Port Natal. North of the harbour and city centre lies the mouth of the Umgeni River; the flat city centre rises to the hills of the Berea on the west; and to the south, running along the coast, is the Bluff. Durban is the seat of the larger eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, which spans an area of 2,556 km2 (987 sq mi) and had a population of 4.2 million in 2022, making the metropolitan population one of Africa's largest on the Indian Ocean. Within the city limits, Durban's population was 595,061 in 2011. The city has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, wet summers and mild, dry winters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Share taxi</span> Mode of transport which falls between both taxicabs and buses

A share taxi is a mode of transport which falls between a taxicab and a bus. These vehicles for hire are typically smaller than buses and usually take passengers on a fixed or semi-fixed route without timetables, but instead departing when all seats are filled. They may stop anywhere to pick up or drop off their passengers. Often found in developing countries, the vehicles used as share taxis range from four-seat cars to minibuses. They are often owner-operated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport for Greater Manchester</span> Public transport organisation in Greater Manchester in North West England

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is a local government body responsible for co-ordinating transport services throughout Greater Manchester in North West England. It is an executive arm of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the city region's administrative authority. The strategies and policies of Transport for Greater Manchester are set by the GMCA and its Greater Manchester Transport Committee (GMTC). The committee is made up of 33 councillors appointed from the ten Greater Manchester boroughs, as well as the Mayor of Greater Manchester.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paratransit</span> Transportation service for people with disabilities

Paratransit or Intermediate Public Transport, is a type of transportation services that supplement fixed-route mass transit by providing individualized rides without fixed routes or timetables. Paratransit services may vary considerably on the degree of flexibility they provide their customers. At their simplest they may consist of a taxi or small bus that will run along a more or less defined route and then stop to pick up or discharge passengers on request. At the other end of the spectrum—fully demand responsive transport—the most flexible paratransit systems offer on-demand call-up door-to-door service from any origin to any destination in a service area. In addition to public transit agencies, paratransit services may be operated by community groups or not-for-profit organizations, and for-profit private companies or operators.

<i>Marshrutka</i> Fixed-route taxicab

Marshrutnoye taksi, commonly known by the colloquialism Marshrutka, are share taxis found in Eastern Europe and the republics of the former Soviet Union. Usually vans, they drive along set routes, depart only when all seats are filled, and may have higher fares than buses. Passengers can board a marshrutka anywhere along its route if there are seats available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mdantsane</span> Township in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Mdantsane is a South African urban township situated 15 km away from East London and 37 km away from Qonce in the Eastern Cape. It is the second largest township in Eastern Cape and 17th largest in the Top 20 largest townships in South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matatu</span> Public transportation minibuses in Kenya

In Kenya, matatu or matatus are privately owned minibuses used as share taxis. Often decorated, many matatu feature portraits of famous people or slogans and sayings. Likewise, the music they play is also aimed at quickly attracting riders. Over 70% of commuter trips are taken using matatu in cities like Nairobi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitchells Plain</span> Suburb of Cape Town, in Western Cape, South Africa

Mitchells Plain is a large census designated sub-place located within the City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa and situated about 28 km (17 mi) from the Cape Town city centre. It is one of South Africa's largest residential areas and contains multiple smaller suburbs. It is located on the Cape Flats on the False Bay coast between Muizenberg and Khayelitsha. Conceived of as a "model suburb" by the apartheid government, it was built during the 1970s to provide housing for Coloured victims of forced removal due to the implementation of the Group Areas Act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Arrow Bus Services</span> Public bus operator for Cape Town, South Africa

Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) is the major public transport bus service operator for Cape Town, South Africa, providing commuter bus services throughout a large part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan area.

Prior to 1994, immigrants from elsewhere faced discrimination and even violence in South Africa due to competition for scarce economic opportunities. After majority rule in 1994, contrary to expectations, the incidence of xenophobia increased. In 2008, at least 62 people were killed in the xenophobic uprising and attacks. In 2015, another nationwide spike in xenophobic attacks against immigrants in general prompted a number of foreign governments to begin repatriating their citizens. A Pew Research poll conducted in 2018 showed that 62% of South Africans expressed negative sentiment about foreign nationals living and working in South Africa, believing that immigrants are a burden on society by taking jobs and social benefits and that 61% of South Africans thought that immigrants were more responsible for crime than other groups. There is no factual evidence to substantiate the notion that immigrants are the main culprits of criminal activity in South Africa, even though the claim is incorrectly made in sometimes by politicians and public figures. Between 2010 and 2017 the number of foreigners living in South Africa increased from 2 million people to 4 million people. The proportion of South Africa's total population that is foreign born increased from 2.8% in 2005 to 7% in 2019, according to the United Nations International Organization for Migration, South Africa is the largest recipient of immigrants on the African continent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PUTCO</span> Provider of commuter bus services in some provinces in South Africa

The Public Utility Transport Corporation (PUTCO) is a provider of commuter bus services in the provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo, and the western parts of Mpumalanga in South Africa. PUTCO was established in 1945 after the bus strike of 1944.

The Blackheath train accident occurred at 7:03 a.m. on 25 August 2010 when a Metrorail commuter train crashed into a minibus taxi on the Buttskop Road level crossing in Blackheath, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. The minibus was carrying fourteen children to school; nine died on the scene and five were hospitalised. One of the injured children died two days later in the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital. The minibus driver was also hospitalised; there were no injuries aboard the train.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public light bus</span> Minibus used for public transport services in Hong Kong

The public light bus (PLB) or minibus is a public transport service in Hong Kong. It uses minibuses to provide quicker transport and to serve areas that standard Hong Kong bus lines cannot reach as efficiently. The vehicles are colloquially known by the code-switch Van仔.

Dunoon is a township in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The first erf for Dunoon was surveyed in 1996. As formal housing was built, shacks developed rapidly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Cape Town taxi conflict</span> 2021 violent taxi conflict

The 2021 Cape Town taxi conflict was a violent turf war between the minibus taxi operators Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) and Congress of Democratic Taxi Association (CODETA) over lucrative taxi routes in Cape Town, South Africa. The conflict was part of a long running series of conflicts that are part of the ongoing taxi wars in South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association</span>

The Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta), also sometimes called the Congress of Democratic Taxi Association(s) or Congress for Democratic Taxi Associations, is an umbrella body for minibus taxi operators in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Formed in 1992, it is one of the two major taxi associations in the Western Cape, and has frequently been embroiled in violent conflict with its primary competitor, the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA), since the latter broke away from Codeta in the mid-1990s. Codeta, like CATA, is a member of the Western Cape provincial arm of the South African National Taxi Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Cape Town taxi strike</span> 2023 Cape Town taxi conflict

The 2023 Cape Town taxi strike, also known as the 2023 Western Cape taxi strike, was a law enforcement dispute between minibus taxi operators in the Western Cape province of South Africa, as represented by South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO), and the City of Cape Town. The strike started at 13:00 SAST on Thursday, 3 August 2023 and is currently ongoing although SANTACO stated their intention to end the strike after 7 days on 10 August 2023 but confirmed its continuation indefinitely on 9 August.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sekhonyane, Makubetse; Dugard, Jackie (December 2004), "A VIOLENT LEGACY: The taxi industry and government at loggerheads" (PDF), SA Crime Quarterly, 10: 13–18
  2. ↑ Wines, Michael (17 September 2006). "South Africa's taxi wars taking toll". The Seattle Times . Retrieved 7 April 2007.
  3. ↑ Bähre, Erik (2014). "A Trickle-Up Economy: Mutuality, Freedom and Violence in Cape Town's Taxi Associations". Africa: Journal of the International African Institute. 84 (4): 576–594. doi:10.1017/S000197201400045X. hdl: 1887/121976 . ISSN   0001-9720. JSTOR   24525653. S2CID   145073432.
  4. ↑ Hansen, Thomas, Boys 'n' wheels. Music, race and gender in the taxi industry in Durban (PDF)
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Dugard, Jackie (May 2001), "From Low Intensity War to Mafia War: Taxi violence in South Africa (1987–2000)", Violence and Transition Series, 4, archived from the original on 9 February 2012
  6. ↑ "Shooting at Benoni taxi rank claims life", Business Day, 3 July 1999, archived from the original on 29 September 2007
  7. 1 2 The South African Taxi Industry Archived 24 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report (PDF), vol. 3, 1998, archived from the original (PDF) on 5 October 2006
  9. ↑ "AFTER three years of bickering and false starts, the taxi industry is on the brink of forming an all-inclusive national council. Once it is formed, government is ready to give the body statutory self-regulating powers", Business Day, 15 June 1998, archived from the original on 29 September 2007
  10. 1 2 Organising in the taxi industry: The South African experience (PDF), 2003, archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2006
  11. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ↑ An Overview of the National Land Transport Transition (Act 22 of 2000) Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ↑ Taxi Recapitalisation Project Archived 13 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ↑ Taxi recapitalisation gets into gear – SouthAfrica.info Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ↑ Taxi recapitalisation programme, South Africa
  16. ↑ Bähre, Erik (2014). "A Trickle-Up Economy: Mutuality, Freedom and Violence in Cape Town's Taxi Associations" (PDF). Africa. 84 (4): 576–594. doi:10.1017/s000197201400045x. hdl: 1887/121976 . S2CID   145073432.
  17. ↑ Mthethwa, Cebelihle. "Mount Ayliff killings: Accused in court for Christmas Day attack where 7 died". News24. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  18. 1 2 Harding, Andrew (29 October 2018). "Why Cape Town's trains are on fire in South Africa". BBC News. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  19. ↑ Payne, Suné (23 July 2021). "ACTION PLAN: Route at heart of Cape Town's taxi violence eruption to be closed for two months". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  20. ↑ Ludidi, Velani (7 July 2021). "Seven dead this morning as taxi related murders climb to 71". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 13 July 2021. Cape Town – The police have been deployed on taxi routes around Cape Town following a spate of shootings to ensure the safety of commuters.
  21. 1 2 Taking taxis to task, Carte Blanche, 6 November 2022, retrieved 6 December 2022
  22. ↑ O'Regan, Victoria (24 March 2022). "COMMUTERS STRANDED: Thursday taxi protest over impoundment of vehicles causes blockades, disruptions and violence in Cape Town". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  23. ↑ Malgas, Bertram. "City of Cape Town impounds taxis as drivers block roads over permits". ewn.co.za. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  24. ↑ "Cape Town pushes back against taxi bosses, issuing R1m in fines and impounding 118 vehicles". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  25. ↑ Ludidi, Velani; Payne, Suné; Marks, Samane Jnr (7 August 2023). "TAXI STRIFE: Day 5 – Two people killed in two incidents near airport as Western Cape taxi strike continues". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  26. 1 2 Cruywagen, Vincent (24 April 2022). "Jailed arsonist admits taxi industry cashes in on train fires". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  27. ↑ Mthethwa, Cebelihle (23 April 2022). "Cape Town taxi employee who burnt train so he could 'get paid more' sentenced to 20 years". News24. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  28. 1 2 Buthelezi, Sebe. "amaBhungane | Taxi 'mafia' blamed for deadly attacks on long-distance buses". Fin24. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.