Commuters in Durban may be left without minibus taxi services on Thursday and Friday. This is because taxi associations in the city are meeting to decide on a potential city-wide grounding of their vehicles.
The possible shutdown coincides with a separate, ongoing two-day protest by the Clermont KwaDabeka Taxi Owners Association, which is angry about the seizure of 25 of its taxis by Durban Metro Police last week.
However, the larger group representing most taxi operators, the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), is considering its own action. The five regional associations in Durban are discussing a full grounding of their fleets for two days. They insist this is not a strike but a protest due to a lack of engagement from the city.
Mathula Mkhize, chairperson of the eThekwini Municipality Taxi Council, confirmed the meeting was underway. He said the industry’s main frustration is its inability to get a meeting with senior city officials for the past two weeks.
“We have had no leader in eThekwini to engage with for 14 days,” Mkhize said. He explained that when meetings do happen, the city sends junior officials who cannot make decisions. He has called for a meeting with the mayor, city manager, and speaker to resolve the deadlock.
Regarding the seized taxis in Clermont, Mkhize stated that while they support impounding vehicles that break the law, they allege Metro Police are also seizing taxis with valid permits.
If the grounding goes ahead, it will severely disrupt workers, students, and learners. The timing is particularly difficult as it coincides with social grant payments on Thursday.