Govt plans to probe plans by taxi to operators to ban Avanzas

We will only act if a criminal element emanates from this – cops

The Limpopo department of transport and community safety says the plans by taxi operators to stop privately owned Toyota Avanzas from transporting passengers. 

This after an image of a signed notice by taxi associations in Burgersfort made rounds on social media. In the notice, the associations are instructing employers and schools to tell their employees and learners to use taxis exclusively for commuting to and from work from November 1.

Department spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene told Sowetan on Wednesday afternoon they could not give a definitive answer whether this act was legal or not.

"For now we are still going to investigate this matter, this investigation does not exclude the legality but we need to be sure as a department what we are looking at.

"This picture [notice] shows an incomplete document and we still need to ask our legal department whether it is legal. We need to also speak to the relevant people involved because when we ask these associations they often say they have no idea what we are talking about ... so we need to be sure," said Chuene.

In the said image, the document shows five associations – Eastern Leole, DRUTA, Tubatse, BULLDTA, and OLLDTA – who signed a statement that reads:

“The associations held a meeting on the 29th of October 2024 and have resolved to advise all shop managers, owners, schools, and other communal structures operating in town to inform their workers and learners to start using taxis to and from work from the 1st of November 2024.”

Tubatse Taxi Association leader Romeo Masha told Sowetan that their issue lies primarily with Toyota Avanza drivers picking up passengers on taxi routes.

“It’s not that we don’t want them to operate, they just need to know where to load and where not to load. You find them loading learners from schools, filling and even overloading children into these Avanzas when our taxis are already available.

You find them loading learners from schools, filling and even overloading children into these Avanzas when our taxis are already available.Tubatse Taxi Association leader Romeo Masha

"And besides that, they don't have the operating licences to work as public transports, they don't have that authority,” said Masha.

He mentioned that more meetings would be held to refine their plan.

“We are meeting again today [Wednesday] to finalise the execution. We are also arranging patrol cars to stop Avanzas from operating, specifically in town around the R37,” he said.

When asked if they would engage the municipality about this plan, Masha said the municipality would be informed later.

“The municipality will find us halfway through the implementation, but we are not telling the Avanzas to stop operating, we just want them to stop taking our customers,” he said.

Prince Maluleke, who represents all five associations, said what they are planning to do is not illegal.

"These Avanzas don't have operating licences, every public transport has an operating licence, from buses to taxis. Taxis in the country are regulated and have the authority to operate on the roads as public transportation whereas these Avanzas do not and instead are taking business away from those working," said Maluleke.

He said they are not against private cars moving around and picking up families or one person but the problem is Avanza owners who call it a job.

"We won't stop family members who are transporting their friends or family to a funeral or wherever. We have an issue with Avanza drivers who call it a job to commute passengers everywhere when they don't have the papers. An Avanza is a family car, not a vehicle that can be regulated or a public vehicle," said Maluleke.

Limpopo police spokesperson Brig Hlulani Mashaba said they would only act if a criminal element "emanates from this".

Meanwhile, in Mpumalanga, a man giving his neighbour a lift became a victim of taxi patrollers who seized his keys and drove away in his car after demanding a R2,500 fine to return it.

The man had taken his car for service in Mbombela on Thursday last week when taxi patrollers suddenly attacked him in the CBD. He had given his neighbour a lift from Barberton and the two were planning to go back home together from Mbombela. The man eventually paid the fine and got his car back. 

This incident follows numerous videos on social media showing a taxi patrol car terrorising motorists on the N4 highway.

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