Mobility

1.(a)(i)    Since 1 April 2021 to 30 August 2025, Provincial Traffic Services detected and removed three (3) fraudulent taxi operating permits from circulation.

                In addition, the Western Provincial Regulatory Entity (“PRE”) in partnership with provincial and municipal law enforcement agencies has an ongoing initiative to identify fraudulent operating licences and to confiscate same from circulation. These fraudulent operating licences are produced outside of the PRE environment and are printed on genuine/authentic face-value documents. The fraudulent operating licences are confiscated at roadblocks or during routine vehicle inspections.

2.(a)(ii) The removal of fraudulent permits can contribute positively to industry safety by ensuring that only verified and lawfully authorised operators remain active in the sector. This can reduce risks associated with unvetted drivers and unauthorised vehicles, thereby strengthening regulatory compliance and enhancing commuter trust in licensed operations.

(b)         Provincial Taxi Registrar’s (PTR) initiatives have yielded measurable outcomes in curbing unsafe practices. These include:

•    Increased compliance inspections on routes and ranks through on-site     inspections and requesting Traffic services to monitor those areas through their operational patrol programmes in collaboration with SAPS at times.
• Issuing compliance notices to associations and operators found in breach of Minimum Standard Constitution and Code of Conduct,
•     Reduction in visible instances of overloading, reckless driving, and unroadworthy vehicles.
  Overall, PTR operations have played a deterrent role, promoting adherence to traffic laws and contributing to safer road use within the taxi sector.

(c)(i)     It should be taken into consideration that the minibus-taxi route network is intertwined and many route disputes are declared with the Provincial Regulatory Entity and the Provincial Taxi Registrar. The major route disputes that were resolved since 2020 include:

• B97 (Mbekweni – Bellville) – a formal Memorandum of Agreement has been signed and the two disputing associations (Paarl Alliance and CATA Boland) are currently co-existing;
• Route dispute between CATA Bellville Taxi Association (“BELLTA”) and the Bloekombos Wallacedene Taxi Association. This matter was referred to arbitration and we are now in the process of implementing the arbitration award and splitting the routes served by these associations in the Bellville and Kraaifontein areas
• Brackengate – route disputes around operations to and from Brackengate have been settled and formal Memorandum of Agreement has been signed by all affected taxi associations;
• Plettenberg Bay – route disputes have been settled and a formal Memorandum of Agreement has been signed between Plettenberg Bay Taxi Organisation and UNCEDO Plettenberg Bay Taxi Association;
• We are in the process of resolving route disputes in respect of:

• Cape Town Station Deck. A draft Memorandum of Agreement has been presented to affected parties;
• Strandfontein Road Corridor – A draft Memorandum of Agreement has been presented to affected parties;
• Routes from Mfuleni and Khayelitsha to Somerset West and return – negotiation are currently underway.

(c)(ii)     Strategies that have proven effective in resolving such disputes include:

•    Structured alternative dispute resolution processes, and utilization of facilitation by professional and external mediators.
• Use of Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) between associations, with Planning authorities playing a big role in that.
•    Collaboration with all role-players and stakeholders (SAPS, Traffic Services, Planning Authorities, PRE, PTR, Taxi Associations)
• Establishment of joint working committees (JWC).
• Issuing compliance notices to non-compliant associations.
• Conducting Section 7 A(20) hearings by the Provincial Taxi Registrar to enforce lawful operations and conduct by operators and drivers.
• Initiation of the Regulation 9(2) inquiry: (Somerset West, Cape Town and the Strandfontein Corridor from 2019 and still pending finalisation.

These combined approaches have provided structured mechanisms for conflict

management, enabling orderly operations and mitigating the recurrence of

disputes. With that said, all these interventions will be futile without the unwavering commitment from the industry and their leaders.  As government, our role is to regulate and the industry also have a responsibility in conducting their businesses within the confines of the law.