POLL | Should taxi associations have the right to police drivers’ personal hygiene and clothing?

Some commuters welcome the move

April 30, 2025 at 00:29 pm

The government and the media have been calling the taxi mafia an 'industry' for decades, convincing us that it is a regulated, taxed and generally formalised part of the national economy, and not a chaotic federation of privateers, says the writer. File photo. (MICHAEL PINYANA)

Taxi drivers in Carletonville, Gauteng, face strict rules — including fines for poor hygiene, wearing vests and shorts, or fighting with passengers.

The Carletonville United Taxi Association issued a notice last week outlining penalties ranging from R500 to R3,000 for various infractions, among them drivers “who do not bath”, wear inappropriate clothing or have dirty taxis.

“No dirty taxi will be allowed to load passengers,” the association stated. Management faces a R500 fine for letting such vehicles operate.

While some commuters have welcomed the move as a way to improve professionalism and cleanliness in the taxi industry, others have questioned whether taxi associations have the right to enforce such personal standards.

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