Johannesburg – Gauteng is in the grip of a brutal taxi war, with a staggering 59 people killed since the start of the year as rival associations battle for control of lucrative routes. The violence has reached a terrifying crescendo, with innocent commuters caught in the crossfire as armed gunmen unleash indiscriminate attacks.
The latest incident occurred on Monday, 7 April 2025, in Mofolo, Soweto, where three men were fatally shot. According to reports, the victims, all members of a taxi association, were travelling in a Toyota Corolla when a grey silver vehicle opened fire, leaving them dead at the scene.
Just last month, a group of armed men stormed a taxi rank in Doornfontein, Jeppe, and began shooting randomly. The horrific attack left four people dead and three others seriously injured, highlighting the brazen disregard for human life that has become characteristic of the ongoing conflict.
The violence is not confined to Soweto and Johannesburg. On 19 March, a shooting at the Zonkizizwe taxi rank claimed the lives of three taxi drivers. Witnesses reported that unknown assailants driving a white BMW opened fire on bystanders, injuring two passengers who were rushed to hospital.
These are just the latest incidents in a long and bloody feud that has plagued Gauteng's taxi industry for years. The primary source of the conflict is the fierce competition for control of profitable taxi routes, with rival associations resorting to violence and intimidation to gain an advantage.
The Gauteng Provincial Government, the Gauteng National Taxi Alliance, and the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) have been attempting to address the crisis. On Friday, representatives from these organisations reached an agreement aimed at ending the violence.
According to a statement released by the Portfolio Committee on Community Safety and the Portfolio Committee on Transport & Logistics, key agreements from the meeting include "an immediate ceasefire and a commitment to dialogue by all affected taxi associations." The associations are expected to engage in mediation talks and submit a progress report to the MEC by 29 April 2025.
The committees also announced the establishment of "a dedicated Conflict Resolution Committee comprising affected taxi associations," which will convene under the supervision of the MEC to ensure transparency and accountability in resolving disputes, particularly over contested routes.
The committees have pledged to closely monitor the implementation of these resolutions and hold both the government and the taxi industry accountable for delivering lasting peace. They have also urged taxi associations to honour the ceasefire, commuters and communities to report any threats to law enforcement, and all stakeholders to work together towards a safer, conflict-free transport sector.
However, despite these efforts, questions remain about the government's ability to effectively address the root causes of the violence and ensure the safety of commuters.
The ongoing dispute between rival Soweto taxi associations Nanduwe and Wata serves as a stark example of the challenges facing authorities. These associations have been warring over routes for around a decade, with an estimated 160 lives lost in the conflict.
A recent court judgment has highlighted the government's failures in resolving the Nanduwe-Wata feud. On Monday, 10 March 2025, tensions flared again after the Gauteng Provincial Regulatory Entity (GPRE) awarded contested Soweto routes to Nanduwe on 16 January.
The routes in question are: Mofolo Kwa-Mthethwa Informal Taxi Rank to Jeppe Station Taxi Rank; Dube Station Taxi Rank to Jeppe Station Taxi Rank; Makhetha Garage (Phefeni) Taxi Rank to Jeppe Station Taxi Rank and Uncle Tom’s Hall Taxi Rank to Jeppe Station Taxi Rank.
The decision stipulated that only Nanduwe could load passengers and end trips on the routes, while other associations could only offload passengers.
Wata challenged the decision in court, and on 3 March 2025, Judge Stuart Wilson ruled against the GPRE, criticising the entity for ignoring an ongoing, court-ordered arbitration and failing to provide a coherent justification for its decision.
Following the ruling, Nanduwe blocked roads on 10 March and prevented Wata taxis from operating. Gauteng SAPS confirmed that Nanduwe based its hostilities on the claim that it had not seen the court order and, therefore, could not be deemed to be bound by it.
Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela called for calm, while a statement following the GPRE decision added: “The decision brings the department a step closer to concluding a long and painful period.”
Miya, from Wata, expressed astonishment over the road blockades, attributing them to a claim by Nanduwe that it had not received or even seen a copy of the 3 March court judgment. While Miya said he had his doubts about the claim, he noted that Nanduwe has continued to insist it is unaware of the ruling.
“As Wata, even now we are still saying what we said when they closed the roads, that we invite them so that we can work together,” Miya said.
Nanduwe did not respond to repeated requests for comment, but the association’s Ngcobo was quoted by EWN as saying: “We have never worked in the same routes as Wata. We must make this clear that we do not benefit from working alongside them. We can’t share routes.”
