“This Business Has Been in Decline”: Taxi Driver Shows Fleet of Parked Taxis Due to Slow Business
- A local minibus taxi driver has sparked widespread concern online after filming a video showing rows of parked taxis due to a massive lack of commuters
- The footage reshared on X was captured from inside the driver's stationary vehicle, where he expressed a concern that their minibus taxis may even be repossessed
- The man’s concern sparked a wave of comments from viewers who had started seeing a decline in commuter numbers since the introduction of e-hailing services
- Briefly News reached out to Cape Town driver, Nduna Lusiba, for his perspective on the current economic challenges in the industry
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Source: Twitter
A KwaZulu-Natal taxi driver has laid bare the devastating financial strain currently affecting the South African transport sector. In a sobering video shared on X by social media commentator @AdvoBarryRoux on 29 May 2026, a taxi driver filmed a massive taxi rank filled with stationary, empty cars.
The stressed driver explained that the industry has ground to a near-total halt. He shared his fears that financial institutions will soon begin repossessing their taxis because operators are failing to generate the cash flow needed to meet their monthly car finance repayments.
Taxi driver stresses over low commuter numbers
Detailing their operational misery, the driver complained about the recent fuel price adjustments. In the X user @AdvoBarryRoux's video, he vented that the diesel price increases have added a layer of pressure on an already bleeding industry. He lamented that, between the skyrocketing cost of fuel and the empty ranks, taxi operators are facing an unprecedented economic dead-end.
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Watch the X video below:
Parked fleets and fight to cover costs
Local taxi driver Nduna opened up to Briefly News about how a quiet season and struggling commuters are putting pressure on operators. We asked that man what was causing the sharp decline in the number, as seen in the KZN taxi rank. He shared:
“People do not have the money to travel anymore. High living expenses mean many commuters are now walking shorter routes or taking buses just to save a few coins.”
When asked what is needed to get the industry moving again. The taxi driver said:
“We need the economy to pick up so that people have jobs and a reason to travel. For now, we are just supporting each other on the road to ensure we all survive. These recent protests are also not helping, because the people who work in some of the shops owned by people from neighbouring countries are no longer taking taxis to work.”
Mzansi discusses the decline in commuter numbers
The post ignited a significant online debate in the comment section regarding the shifting dynamics of public transport in Mzansi cities. Many noted that since numerous foreign-owned retail and wholesale shops in major CBD areas have closed down or relocated, the regular wave of daily workers and shoppers relying on taxis has vanished. Others argued that the massive rise of e-hailing services has eaten into the traditional taxi market, especially for short-distance commutes.
Source: Getty Images
User @Oppenheimer702 said:
"This business has been on the decline for years. The introduction of the e-hailing business made matters worse."
User @ntombemhlophe8 advised:
"They must innovate laba (these) finish and klaar."
User @BonKalonji added:
"They will soon feel it. It’s the end of the month, and most South African ladies will lose their rooms."
User @BobbyDNdhlovu said:
"Minibus taxis were never a sustainable public transport system."
User @TaperaEmmanuel shared:
"Foreign nationals form most of their clients!"
User @lekoloanemanam2 commented:
"There are few people to transport because millions of people are unemployed, but they keep voting for the same old time ANC plus DA."
3 Briefly News taxi-related articles
- A bold Mahindra bakkie driver in Gauteng earned widespread praise across Mzansi after blocking a taxi that attempted to drive into oncoming traffic until it went off the road into the pavement.
- A confident taxi driver was filmed charming a white woman while casually leaning against her car door on the roadside, sparking massive laughter online.
- A kind taxi driver invited a female motorist to his township, Dunoon, near Cape Town, and promised that he would ensure that she was safe, leaving social media users deeply moved.
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Source: Briefly News
