SANTACO Gauteng Condemns Taxi Patrollers Who Intimidate Motorists Offering Lifts, Says It's Illegal
- The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) in Gauteng has urged citizens to report criminality in the industry
- SANTACO Gauteng chairperson, Midday Mali, weighed in on reports that taxi patrollers were stopping motorists from giving lifts
- Mali maintained that they wanted to rebuild trust, knowing they had a responsibility to provide a service and keep commuters safe
- Ladysmith Gazette journalist, Shamona Buthuram, spoke to Briefly News about taxi drivers preventing teachers from transporting students
Source: Getty Images
Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
GAUTENG - Taxi patrollers and marshals are not allowed to prevent people from transporting others in their private vehicles.
That’s according to Midday Mali, Chairperson of the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO), who weighed in on constant reports that patrollers were preventing motorists from giving people lifts.
Mali made the comments during a special media briefing in Gauteng on Wednesday, 19 August 2025.
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What did Mali say?
Speaking at the SANTACO press briefing, he stated that they had taken deliberate steps to address the conduct of the few individuals who had tarnished the industry's reputation. He added that, at times, associations were hesitant to take bold disciplinary steps, but that this must end with immediate effect.
He then addressed growing concerns that patrollers and marshals were coercing citizens by force not to use private cars to transport their families.
“This is unacceptable, unconstitutional and illegal. As SANTACO, particularly SANTACO Gauteng, we distance ourselves from these practices,” he said.
He added that they would be reviewing all cases to identify those responsible and emphasised that every South African who had been harassed, threatened, or intimidated by someone claiming to act in the name of SANTACO Gauteng had every right to choose their mode of transport and report criminal activity.
“Work with us to report this criminality to the authorities. We understand the responsibility we have as well. To rebuild trust with you. We are not all criminals. We are not all violent,” he stated.
Last year, SANTACO in Mpumalanga made headlines when SANTACO chairperson in the province, Fanyana Sibanyoni, clarified that car owners aren’t allowed to give pedestrians lifts as this infringes on taxi operators' rights.
Mali addresses the Maponya Mall attack
The chairperson also reflected on the attack at Maponya Mall, which left one person dead. He extended condolences on behalf of SANTACO Gauteng and industry affiliates to the family and loved ones of the driver who was killed.
Describing it as an indefensible act, he said that the murder should haunt all who claim to serve in the name of public transport.
He stated that SANTACO Gauteng was working closely with law enforcement and internal structures to assist in investigations, noting that at this stage, the involvement of members of the taxi industry was still only alleged.
He called for a swift and thorough investigation into the murder to ensure that those responsible are brought to book.
Source: Getty Images
Teachers prevented from transporting students in Ladysmith
While SANTACO in Gauteng have condemned taxi drivers who prevent people from transporting others in their vehicles, the situation is different in KwaZulu-Natal.
In Ladysmith, Northern KZN, members of the Klipriver Scholar Transport threatened teachers in the area, warning them against giving learners a lift to school.
Shamona Buthuram, a journalist for the Ladysmith Gazette, told Briefly News that teachers were sent a letter, warning that they would be arrested if caught giving learners lifts to school.
“We wish to convey this message to the teachers who give lifts to the learners who attend the same school where they work, to please stop; there are vehicles authorised to transport learners,” the statement read.
Patrollers force passengers out of private transport
Briefly News reported that patrollers removed passengers from a privately hired taxi in Refilwe, Tshwane, on 4 April 2025.
The alleged patrollers, who were said to be armed, accused the driver of taking business away from them.
SANTACO in Gauteng slammed the taxi patrollers' actions, accusing them of thinking they were bigger than the organisation.
Greyhound buses destroyed in Boksburg blaze
Briefly News reported that an investigation has been launched into a fire that destroyed three Greyhound buses in Boksburg near OR Tambo International Airport. Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) teams received a distress call on Sunday, 17 August 2025, and found that three buses and a trailer were on fire. While officials were able to contain the blaze, they could do little to save the vehicles already on fire.
City of Ekurhuleni DEMS spokesperson, William Ntladi, confirmed that no injuries were reported and that the cause was unknown, but remained the subject of an investigation.
He also said that firefighters from three stations were dispatched and found three buses and one trailer up in flames upon arrival. Ntladi also noted that they were able to contain the fire before more buses were destroyed.
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Proofreading by Roxanne Dos Ramos, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
