The Western Cape, by way of its provincial mobility department, is “maintaining order” in the local minibus taxi sector.
What Member of the Provincial Parliament tasked with mobility Professor Nomafrench Mbombo termed “a strong indication that lawlessness on the roads will not be tolerated” came in the response to a provincial parliament question.
It showed more than 14 500 fines issued, 376 arrests and 1 070 taxis impounded in “the past year alone”. In a Democratic Alliance (DA) statement Mbombo has it the arrests were for offences ranging from reckless and negligent driving, operating unroadworthy vehicles to overloading. More severe criminal acts, such as fraud, drug possession, bribery and unlawful transport of undocumented individuals and stolen goods, were also on the list of what the statement calls “infractions”. Vehicles were impounded and fines issued to drivers/operators for unlicensed or expired permits, “excessive speeding”, lack of safety equipment and operating without valid documentation.
Beyond enforcement, the Western Cape government said it is engaging in constructive dialogue with provincial taxi associations. This dual approach — combining accountability with collaboration — aims to improve long-term compliance and deliver safer, more dependable public transport.
Open source information has it there are over eight thousand taxi operators in the province working 2 650 local minibus tax routes with 16 500 plus legal registered vehicles.
Of the Mobility Department statistics, Mbombo is quoted as saying: “While we commend the enforcement efforts, the figures are not a reason to celebrate. In a well-functioning system, taxi operators would comply with regulations by default. What commuters deserve is a transport service that is safe, reliable and dignified — not one plagued by non-compliance and risk. Enforcement is necessary, but the ultimate goal is widespread adherence to the law”.
“The provincial government is sending a clear message: those who break the law will face consequences. We are committed to bringing accountability to an industry too often marked by disorder.”
