Taxi industry hurts as anti-illegal immigrant protests hit cross-border traffic

The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) says it is suffering a financial fallout following anti-illegal immigrant protests, reporting a sharp decline in cross-border passenger travel.

A wave of protests has hit the country, led by civic groups such as the March and March movement.

Protesters have demanded the immediate deportation of undocumented foreigners and have issued a June 30 deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave SA.

In response to rising safety concerns, several African countries have initiated repatriation efforts to bring their citizens home. Thousands of other foreign nationals remaining in SA have been displaced, seeking shelter in makeshift camps.

Santaco spokesperson Rebecca Phala said the protests had severely disrupted the taxi business, as many foreigners, including those in the country legally, now feared for their lives.

“In Johannesburg, particularly, taxi ranks with operations feeding into the SADC (Southern African Development Community) region have seen a significant drop in commuters.

“Based on engagements our colleagues have had with people on the ground, even those with proper documentation are terrified that they might be in danger. The demand for cross-border operations has lessened, which has directly affected our income. We have certainly started to feel the burn.”

The South African minibus taxi industry is estimated to be worth between R90bn and R100bn annually.

While warning about the economic damage to the industry, Phala acknowledged the validity of concerns regarding illegal immigration, agreeing that individuals without proper documentation should not be allowed in the country.

She emphasised that calls for legal migration and government intervention were crucial. However, she noted that enforcing these laws fell outside the mandate of the taxi industry. “We want to ensure that those who have proper documentation are allowed into the country. But in terms of how we can contribute [to enforcement], we simply don’t have the capacity.

“The root cause also has to be understood: those without documentation should go home, organise their papers, and return to the country legally.”

The Border Management Authority has previously flagged minibus taxis as one of the primary modes of transport used to move undocumented foreigners into SA.

Phala dismissed allegations that the taxi industry profited from illegal immigration, calling the criticism unfair. “Santaco, like any other business, cannot be accused of intentionally benefiting from illegal operations as if it were something we knowingly facilitated. We have simply been responding to a general demand for transportation. The criticism levelled against us is unfair.”

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