MEC welcomes enforcement blitz
GTI operations conducted where drivers were found with invalid licences and discs and unroadworthy vehicles were impounded.
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela has welcomed the continued enforcement blitz by the Gauteng Transport Inspectorate (GTI), targeting public transport operators in collaboration with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and other law enforcement agencies.
The department stated this comes after high-impact stop-and-search operations conducted under the #RemoveSkorokoro campaign that included officers uncovering widespread non-compliance within the minibus taxi industry.
According to the department, during August 2026, GTI operations found a total of 268 minibuses operating without valid licence discs, while a concerning number of 296 minibus taxi drivers were found driving without valid driving licences.
The department said that GTI conducted targeted enforcement operations along major public transport corridors across Gauteng, focusing on vehicle roadworthiness, valid operating documentation, driver compliance, and adherence to road traffic and public transport legislation.
The department added that the stop-and-search operations resulted in 13 minibuses being impounded, while 84 were discontinued after being declared unroadworthy and unsafe for operation on public roads.
“GTI inspectors found vehicles with a range of critical mechanical defects, including cracked windscreens, damaged or torn seats, engine-related defects and other serious mechanical faults that posed a significant danger to passengers and other road users.
“In addition, GTI operations resulted in the issuance of 97 discontinuation notices across the province, including 10 in Ekurhuleni, seven in Tshwane, 74 in Johannesburg, two in Sebokeng and four in Mogale City,” shared the road department.
The department indicated that the enforcement operations also led to the arrest of 16 motorists for offences including driving under the influence (DUI), bribery and fraud, demonstrating the inspectorate’s firm stance against both traffic violations and criminal conduct that continues to endanger lives on Gauteng’s roads.
The department said that to strengthen accountability and ensure that traffic violations are addressed, GTI officers issued more than 2 000 handwritten AARTO infringement notices during the reporting period.
These included 516 in Ekurhuleni, 438 in Tshwane, 443 in Johannesburg, 1 170 in Sebokeng, 28 in Sedibeng District Municipality and 150 in Mogale City.
A further 3 517 electronic infringement notices were issued through the inspectorate’s e-Force devices.
The department added that these comprised 393 in Ekurhuleni, 942 in Tshwane, 182 in Sebokeng, 70 in Sedibeng District Municipality, 1 629 in Johannesburg and 301 in Mogale City.
Remarking on the results, Diale-Tlabela said the continued discovery of unroadworthy vehicles, unlicensed drivers and minibuses operating without valid licence discs was deeply concerning and could no longer be regarded as routine non-compliance.
“There is no justification for putting passengers and other road users at risk by operating vehicles that are mechanically unsafe or allowing incompetent and unlicensed drivers to take to our roads.
“A vehicle with defective brakes, worn tyres or faulty lights is not merely non-compliant; it is a potential death trap. Equally, operating without a valid licence disc or allowing an unlicensed driver behind the wheel undermines the safety efforts and integrity of the entire public transport system. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify and remove these dangers from our roads,” said the MEC.
Meanwhile, the MEC is calling on public transport operators who continue to operate old, unsafe and unroadworthy minibuses to take advantage of the newly opened window of the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme (TRP) by applying to have qualifying vehicles scrapped.
The department stated that under the programme, minibus taxi owners are encouraged to remove unroadworthy taxi vehicles from the road using a scrapping process set up by the National Department of Transport.
Owners are then given a scrapping allowance to every qualifying old vehicle(s). Only vehicles registered before September 4, 2006 are eligible, in line with programme requirements.
For more information and assistance, owners can visit their nearest TOLAB offices below:
• Tshwane TOLAB: 230 Lilian Ngoyi Street, Tshwane central.
• Johannesburg TOLAB: 45 Commissioner Street, Marshalltown
• Ekurhuleni TOLAB: 1 Hardach Street, Germiston
• West Rand TOLAB: Kagiso Drive and Mmusi Street, Kagiso.
• Sedibeng TOLAB: 45 Commissioner Street, Marshalltown.
Alternatively, visit or call the designated office for more information and enquiries:
• Derek Masoek Regional Office, 37 Village Road, Wemmer, Johannesburg, (opp JMPD offices) or contact Dineo Ntseare on (011) 355 7595 or Lindiwe Radebe on (011) 355 7484 during office hours.
