Taxi Operators in Mahikeng Deliver Grievances on Illegal Ranks to Provincial Government

MAHIKENG, NORTH WEST— Taxi operators in Mahikeng handed over a memorandum of grievances to the North West provincial government on 18 May 2026 against illegal operators and taxi ranks.

Thousand Views Media posted a video of the operators handing over their memorandum to the province’s Transport MEC, Wessels Morweng. In the clip, one of the taxi operators said that the MEC accepted it. He added that the MEC also directed the illegal ranks to be shut down.

What are the taxi operators demanding?

He said that operators demand that the government address the challenge of illegal ranks operating in Mahikeng. He added that buses must be regulated so that the local buses and taxis could increase taxi fares due to the tough economic conditions.

View the video on X here:

Taxi drivers protest

According to The Citizen, the taxi operators blocked entry and exit points and prevented commuters from travelling to their various destinations. Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Public Order Police unit and the Mahikeng SAPS managed the situation and prevented it from further escalating. Videos circulating on social media show members of the community fleeing from a protest scene. In one of these videos posted by @NorthWesTimes on X, members of the police stood near a group of taxis. Shots rang out, and community members ran for safety. Members of SAPS fired rubber bullets, and the shots stopped.

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The taxi industry has faced multiple challenges recently, especially after petrol prices increased. The South African National Taxi Council said that it was concerned about the industry’s future as rising fuel prices may compel commuters to resort to alternative forms of transport.

Source: Briefly News