Taxi mafia needs to be reined in

There would be few people in this country, of whatever political persuasion, who would argue against the contention that the taxi industry is a law unto itself.

Every day, in thousands of places, taxi drivers break the law with impunity. Every day, many of them treat their passengers with the disdain of someone carting rubbish, rather than paying customers. And almost every day, someone dies in another taxi business-related assassination.

They are SA’s homegrown mafia.

But the actions this week by taxi organisations – in threatening a boycott of services unless the disaster coronavirus rules on social distancing are not relaxed – shows they are a powerful, malign shadow over the government.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula was forced to relax the taxi capacity restrictions from 50% of full load to 70%, because the taxi industry said it was not making a profit from the lower loads.

So, the business put its own monetary situation ahead of the national health of South Africa. And, in the process, almost certainly not only hampered the fight against coronavirus, but also contributed to an even higher death toll once the virus spreads into vulnerable communities, such as those where taxi passengers live.

With a move like this, the threats by SA’s bully of a police minister, Bheki Cele, against suburban joggers and dog walkers, now seem inane.

The taxi bosses know they have the government over a barrel, because those thousands of people from townships and informal settlements who are part of essential services during the lockdown have taxis as their only transport option.

There is plenty of talk about the brave, new world which might emerge, post-coronavirus. In South Africa, we hope there comes a chance for a real debate on the future of public transport and a move to rid ourselves of this lawless sector.

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