A looming taxi shutdown threatens to leave thousands of Gauteng commuters stranded on July 27, as tensions escalate between the taxi industry and Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela.

The planned shutdown could have significant consequences for the province’s economy, with the taxi industry warning that millions of residents depend on minibus taxis to travel to work, school, and essential services every day.

The threat follows a seven-day ultimatum issued by the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) and the Gauteng National Taxi Alliance (GNTA) to Premier Panyaza Lesufi. They are urging him to intervene in what they describe as a complete breakdown in their working relationship with the MEC.

Should no agreement be reached, the industry said it will proceed with a province-wide shutdown on July 27.

Santaco spokesperson Graham Fritz said the industry has been verbally informed that the MEC intends meeting with taxi leadership this week, but no written confirmation has yet been received.

“We have been advised verbally that the MEC will still meet with us this week, but if we do not get written confirmation of that, we will be going ahead with the shutdown on Monday, 27 July,” said Fritz.

He said taxi leadership had requested a meeting with the MEC to discuss the current impasse but had received no written response from her office.

They subsequently approached Lesufi to intervene but, according to Fritz, have also not received any further communication from his office.

Fritz said the issues the industry wants to discuss with the MEC are those that affect all taxi operators across Pretoria and Gauteng. They also find issue with the fact that she is ignoring national leadership in the industry and that she gives preference to meeting with small, individual role players.

One of the main concerns relates to the issuing of operating licences. Fritz said taxi operators often receive an SMS only 24 hours before they are expected to collect their operating licences from metro offices.

According to him, this short notice places operators under unnecessary pressure because they need at least a week’s notice to plan their schedules and arrange for someone else to operate their vehicles while they travel.

“We want to solve this. We do not want a shutdown because we will be inconveniencing passengers such as our own families and communities,” Fritz said.

The DA in Gauteng has also raised concerns over the dispute and announced that it will write to Diale-Tlabela, urging her to resolve the matter by engaging with the recognised taxi industry structures.

According to the DA, Santaco and the National Taxi Alliance allege that the dispute arose because the MEC bypassed the official taxi industry structures by engaging directly with individual taxi associations and operators on matters affecting the industry.

The DA said the taxi organisations are also dissatisfied with the current operating licence issuing process.

According to DA MPL Evert du Plessis, operators are no longer allowed to collect their licences individually in the regions where they applied.

Instead, the taxi associations claim licences are being handed out during organised ceremonies, requiring operators to travel long distances to collect them.

The DA said that if these claims are accurate, the process amounts to an unacceptable administrative delay that negatively affects the taxi industry, commuters and the Gauteng economy. The party argued that once an operating licence is ready, operators should be allowed to collect it immediately.

“Operating licences should not be used for political grandstanding,” said Du Plessis.

The party said public transport is the heartbeat of Gauteng’s economy and warned that economic growth and job creation depend on a reliable transport system. It added that a DA-led provincial government would prioritise constructive relationships with all transport stakeholders to resolve disputes promptly.

Diale-Tlabela reaffirmed on July 20 the provincial government’s commitment to maintaining a constructive and transparent partnership with the taxi industry while strengthening governance within the operating licence system.

She said the department’s position follows concerns raised by the Gauteng Taxi Industry regarding stakeholder engagement and the current operating licence issuing model.

“The taxi industry remains a critical pillar in the provision of public transport services, moving millions of Gauteng residents daily. The department values its long-standing relationship with organised taxi leadership and remains committed to building a safe, reliable and commuter-centred public transport system,” the MEC said.

Diale-Tlabela maintained that ongoing engagements with taxi operators and associations across the province are fully aligned with the department’s constitutional and legislative mandate.

“As government, we are obligated to ensure an efficient, integrated and accountable public transport system. Our engagements with operators are aimed at strengthening communication, improving governance, and ensuring that government remains accessible to all stakeholders,” she said.

The MEC added that structured engagement with the taxi industry remains in place, including quarterly meetings with provincial leadership.

For now, taxi services continue to operate while discussions continue. However, should no agreement be reached before Monday, thousands of commuters could face severe travel disruptions, with businesses and the wider Gauteng economy also expected to feel the impact.

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