Dept of Transport to scrap over 2300 illegal taxis

The Department of Transport has commissioned a further vice-like grip on illegally converted taxis by announcing the scrapping of more than 2 000 units, mostly based on the Toyota Quantum and older HiAce, by the end of January next year.

A worrying trend, that first came to light in 2005, saw thousands of Quantum and HiAce panel vans being converted into taxis as a way of offsetting the higher starting prices of the “legal models”.

“Two thousand three hundred and fifty three converted panel vans were identified by the Department as being illegally converted and of the converted panel vans 436 were retrofitted whereas 1 917 will have to be scrapped,” the Department said in a statement.

“The owner of an illegally converted Toyota Panel Van must have an operating license or permit linked to the vehicle and also in the owner’s name to qualify for a scrapping allowance”.

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The statement added that, “At the expiry of the date of 31 January 2023, no illegally converted Toyota Panel Vans will be allowed to transport passengers for reward, and law enforcement authorities shall impound such vehicles where these are being utilised for transporting passengers for reward”.

Back in 2019, then Transport Minister Blade Nzimande announced that the taxi scrapping scheme had been upped from R91 000 to R124 000 and that some R4.4 billion had been paid out by September the previous year.

“The collaborative minibus taxi industry ownership and operating models will also promote training and skills development, thus enhancing professionalism and customer service. It will also create wealth for taxi operators by rationalising taxi routes, eradicating overtrading on routes, and thus increasing profitability and sustainability,” News24 quoted him as saying at the time.

Earlier this year, biznews reported that the furore had escalated to a class action lawsuit worth an alleged R1 billion against not only Toyota, but also four of the country’s major banks and several vehicle industry companies over the illegal taxis.

Two years before, an investigation conducted by the office of now suspended Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, identified 2 353 illegally converted panel vans operating as taxis on the country’s road, though in a subsequent finding, 6 450 were noted as having been registered on the National Administration Traffic Information System’s database.

While appearing similar to the taxi version on first glance, excluding the lack of side windows, the panel van’s floorpan doesn’t conform to the requirements needed to transport people.

As such, it lacks the reinforcing materials of the proper taxi models, meaning seats are more likely to detach easier over long periods or in an accident.

“Something tangible has to be done to bring justice to the victims of the accidents where these “fake” taxis were involved and to the unsuspecting taxi drivers whose lives were financially ruined,” United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa wrote in a letter addressed to President Cyril Ramaphosa two years ago.