Men Force Passengers off Bus in Newlands West Area Amid Ongoing Taxi Strike in Durban Region

• Passengers on a bus in Newlands West were forced to get out of the vehicle as Durban's taxi strike continues
• Taxi operators embarked on a two-day strike in solidarity with the Clermont and KwaDabeka associations
• Social media users weighed in on the video of the incident, sharing their thoughts about the actions of the men

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.

KWAZULU-NATAL – Fears that taxi drivers would prevent residents from using other modes of transportation appear to be coming true in Newlands West.

Video footage has surfaced showing men believed to be taxi drivers forcing passengers off a bus in the area. Taxi operators are currently embarking on a two-day strike in the greater Durban area, starting on Thursday, 04 September 2025.

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What did the men do?

In the video, which has since been shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Sihle Mavuso, the men can be seen demanding that passengers get off a bus. Community members looked on as, one by one, passengers were forced to disembark.

At the end of the video, one of the men appears to hit a passenger for trying to get onto the bus. You can watch the video below.

Why are taxi operators striking?

Currently, taxi ranks are empty and routes are free of taxis as associations have gone on strike in Durban. Associations have gone on strike in support of the Clermont and KwaDabeka associations. Drivers from Clermont and KwaDabeka did not take to the roads for two days after several taxis were impounded.

The vehicles were impounded in the aftermath of a violent clash between taxi drivers and e-hailing drivers in the KK Section of KwaDabeka. One e-hailing driver was shot, and another was injured in the altercation. Police conducted a raid at the KK Hostel the day after the attack, taking 15 people in for questioning and seizing numerous firearms.

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How did South Africans react to the video?

The video of bus passengers being forced off the vehicle sparked mixed reactions online, as people feared that there would be more to come.

The start of the two-day strike had been relatively peaceful up to that point, with many social media users commenting on how quiet the roads were without the taxis.

@GxamzaMkhu70619 noted:

“But they said people should make means to take alternative transport.”

@Sir_Pixels stated:

“That community must learn from this. Taxis should be extinct there.

@PuleMolefe16 said:

“I don't know why the government still wants to negotiate and talk with these people. It baffles me.”

@McGayear added:

“The Metro Police should've been on the ground to manage the situation, kodwa.”

@PatX2020 asked:

“Where is Mkhwanazi, the police and the Special Task Force? They are hindering our rights and committing crimes right before us. Arrest them now.”

@sparx_ltd stated:

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“A mafia state starts like this.”

SANTACO dismisses Gauteng shutdown claims

Briefly News reported that the Ekurhuleni area also experienced a taxi strike following the impounding of vehicles.

SANTACO Gauteng explained that there would be no provincial shutdown, saying it would be limited to Ekurhuleni.

Thousands of commuters in Ekurhuleni were left stranded as the strike affected numerous areas.

SANTACO Gauteng condemns taxi patrollers who intimidate motorists offering lifts, says it's illegal

Meanwhile, taxi patrollers and marshals are not allowed to prevent people from transporting others in their private vehicles. This is 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.

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.

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He then addressed growing concerns that patrollers and marshals were coercing citizens by force not to use private cars to transport their families.

Source: Briefly News