WATCH | Calls for action as viral videos expose taxi commuters' hell on wheels

The transport department has condemned the alarming number of unroadworthy taxis operating on South African roads.

This comes after a viral social media trend, where commuters shared harrowing videos of their experiences in unroadworthy taxis.

The videos show some taxis with doors that don't close properly, malfunctioning car parts, and even a taxi driving in reverse as incoming traffic approached, leaving passengers terrified.

Eleanor Mavimbela, spokesperson for the Automobile Association, echoed Msibi's concerns, saying while the social media trend may have started as a humorous way to share experiences, it highlights the real and dangerous issue of unroadworthy taxis on South African roads.

“We see this as a call to action, especially for law enforcement and the transport industry to have urgent and immediate action taken regarding this issue.

“It is a call for action that we hear from South Africans, and it is quite urgent. If you look at the videos on social media, they are harrowing and quite dangerous,” she said.

South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) spokesperson Rebecca Phala argued that the government was not doing enough to support the taxi industry, citing the high percentage of costs taxi owners must bear to buy new vehicles.

“To secure a brand-new vehicle for cash, you will need to pay just over R500,000. The financing sector is not very kind to the taxi industry. The percentages that we have to pay if we purchase this vehicle, along with the monthly repayments, are incredibly difficult.

“We're not oblivious to the reality that we do not always operate the most roadworthy vehicles. However, the reality is that we feel the government is not meeting us halfway,” she said.

The National Taxi Alliance has developed a taxi safety programme called Ndlelanhle, which aims to encourage good behaviour among drivers. Spokesperson Theo Malele acknowledged that more work needs to be done to address the issue of unroadworthy taxis.

“I know that there is still a lot that needs to be done. We seek to address issues of unroadworthy vehicles by speaking to operators in almost every meeting as part of our customer service agenda to determine what we need to do as an industry to ensure that our taxis are safe and serviced,” he said.

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