Taxi drivers in eThekweni to halt operations over permit delays and police misconduct

Durban will be brought to a standstill as the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) embarks on a two-day shutdown beginning today, which will leave thousands of commuters, mostly workers and schoolchildren, stranded without transport.

Earlier this week, Santaco was in talks with Durban's metro police concerning taxis that were impounded because they did not have the required certification. No resolution was achieved, as the metro police remained steadfast in their stance.

The shutdown announcement was confirmed by Zwelethu Cele, secretary of the Pinetown Taxi Owners Association, on Wednesday, who detailed the main grievances that prompted the operators' move.

Key among their concerns was the alleged mistreatment of taxi drivers by law enforcement, particularly the metro police, and the unresolved issues surrounding the e-hailing transport system.

Cele stated, “The big problem starts with the Department of Transport delaying the issuance of permits on time. The second problem is the constant abuse of power and authority by metro police officers,” Cele told the Daily News.

While the action driven by the Pinetown Taxi Owners Association was intended as a protest to highlight their grievances, the duration of the stayaway is contingent upon the municipality's response to their demands.

Metro police spokesperson Boysie Zungu responded to the allegations of police misconduct and reiterated that, as a law enforcement agency, they were merely enforcing legal requirements related to permit acquisition.

“We are not abusing anyone; we are just enforcing the law. Some of the operators don’t have permits, which causes conflict,” said Zungu, highlighting the tension that exists between taxi operators and enforcement agencies.

KZN's Department of Transport spokesperson Ndabezitha Sibiya labelled claims of permit delays as “malicious” and insisted that the department could only process permits once it received the requisite documentation from local municipalities.

“It is not true that we are to blame for the delay. We are facilitating the process. We bring all the parties to the table,” Sibiya explained.

Mathula Mkhize, chairperson of Santaco in KwaZulu-Natal, underscored the pressing nature of the situation and revealed that discussions with the municipality over solving the issue had faltered over the past two weeks.

“We are neither calling it a stayaway nor a strike. We cannot find any government leaders to listen to us,” Mkhize lamented.

The action came on the heels of a recent incident where 25 taxis were impounded in Clermont; the vehicles were found to be operating without valid permits.

The notice the Pinetown Taxi Association directed to commuters read: “Please be aware that all taxis will not be working from tomorrow, the 4th of September 2025, until further notice. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.”

DAILY NEWS