Lungiswa Mabija : SA Woman's 25-Year Rise in Taxi Industry Leads to Historic Santaco Election

• Lungiswa Mabija made history in May 2026 when she was elected as the first woman to lead Santaco at a national level
• Mabija entered the taxi industry in 2000 looking for a side hustle and never imagined she would one day lead the organisation
• Her rise was shaped by a female mentor who broke barriers in the Eastern Cape before her

Lungiswa Mabija had no ambitions of making history when she first got involved in the taxi industry. She was simply looking for extra income.

According to IOL reports on 23 August 2026, the Eastern Cape woman joined the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) in 2000 as an ordinary member of the Uncedo Taxi Association in Mdantsane. Her plan was straightforward: use the taxi business to supplement her other ventures.

"I joined the taxi industry because I was looking for a side hustle. I saw it as an industry that could be lucrative for someone like me."

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Twenty-five years later, she stood before delegates at Santaco's national conference in Johannesburg on 26 May 2026 and was elected as the organisation's first ever woman national chairperson, a milestone no woman had reached before her.

From Mdantsane to national leadership

Her climb through the ranks was steady. Between 2016 and 2017, she joined the Uncedo Taxi Association's executive committee and later moved into the Santaco provincial structure in the Eastern Cape. There, she served as deputy to then provincial chairperson Noluntu Mahashe, the first woman to lead Santaco's Eastern Cape chapter.

Mahashe's guidance proved to be a turning point.

"It was Mahashe who mentored me and inspired me, and I believe it was her mentorship that eventually led me to being in the role I am in now."

Mabija said. She went on to serve as branch chairperson and regional treasurer before pursuing national leadership. Mabija admits she once shared the same stereotypes many hold about the taxi industry. She recalled thinking the sector had no space for women. Her years inside it changed that view entirely.

Women as owners, not just passengers

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Now at the helm of one of South Africa's most influential transport bodies, Mabija is focused on safety, accountability and expanding women's economic participation in the sector. She flagged the practice of drivers abandoning passengers mid-route as a concern, particularly for women and people living with disabilities. She said:

"We don't want to leave passengers vulnerable."

Her broader message is one of opportunity. She encouraged women, including those living with disabilities and those in business, to view the taxi industry as a reliable income stream. She said:

"To me, it is so important for women to know that opportunities for them are available in every and any industry."

Beyond Santaco, Mabija is also a small-scale livestock farmer and a property investor in the Eastern Cape, having moved from estate agency into property ownership over the years.

She hopes the taxi industry will one day be recognised as a serious field of study and a viable career path for young South Africans, especially young women.

Read the full IOL report here.

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Source: Briefly News