Taxi Shutdown in Ekurhuleni Called Off After Government, Industry Talks

Pretoria – 29 August 2025
Taxi services in Ekurhuleni are set to resume this afternoon after Gauteng Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela announced a breakthrough in talks with the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) and the National Taxi Association (NTA). This follows a two-day shutdown that left hundreds of commuters stranded across the region.

Addressing the media in Pretoria, MEC Diale-Tlabela confirmed that an agreement had been reached to end the shutdown. She apologised to commuters affected by the disruption and assured residents that government was working with taxi leaders to address their concerns.

“We are happy that we have reached a settlement with the taxi industry in Ekurhuleni. Services will resume this afternoon, and importantly, we are committed to dealing with the issues raised by operators,” said Diale-Tlabela.

Key Issues Behind the Shutdown

Taxi operators raised frustrations over:

• Delays in issuing operating licences, which have left many operators in limbo.
• Impoundments of vehicles, with law enforcement cracking down on unroadworthy and non-compliant taxis.
• Taxi violence and conflicts, which the MEC said government is working to curb with stronger law enforcement.

SANTACO and NTA confirmed that while the strike originated in Ekurhuleni due to intensified vehicle impoundments, the licensing backlog is a province-wide problem.

“This was not a one-man strike. Ekurhuleni was hardest hit, but all regions in Gauteng face similar licensing delays. We apologise to commuters for the inconvenience and will continue engaging with the MEC to speed up solutions,” said a SANTACO representative.

Government Commitments

The MEC outlined several steps to address the crisis, including:

• Deploying 200 more officials to speed up licensing processes.
• Finalising an automated system to reduce delays and fraud in operating licence applications.
• Establishing hotlines for commuters to report harassment, intimidation, or illegal operators.
• Working with national government to strengthen law enforcement and regulate e-hailing services.

A Call for Calm and Compliance

Diale-Tlabela urged taxi operators to refrain from violence, intimidation, and illegal operations, promising government support for compliant operators.

“Private citizens and motorists must not be harassed. We are putting measures in place to protect commuters and ensure that law enforcement acts against those operating outside the law,” she said.

With services resuming, commuters in Ekurhuleni can expect a return to normal this afternoon, while broader talks continue to address long-term challenges in Gauteng’s public transport system.