Buckets in taxis put lives at risk, warns Santaco

Commuters who are forced to squeeze onto plastic buckets and makeshift seats in overcrowded taxis are being urged to speak out, as the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) warns that the dangerous practice has no place on KwaZulu-Natal’s roads.

The taxi industry body has condemned operators who continue to use buckets and other unauthorised seating arrangements to carry extra passengers, saying the practice is illegal, unsafe and puts lives at risk.

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Speaking to The Witness, Santaco provincial spokesperson Sifiso Shangase said the organisation had received reports of commuters being made to sit on buckets inside taxis, particularly during peak travel periods.

We have been informed about this issue and it is completely unacceptable.

“Drivers who do not obey the law must face the full might of the law,” said Shangase.

He said the use of buckets and makeshift seats compromises passenger safety and undermines efforts to professionalise the taxi industry.

Shangase urged commuters to report drivers and operators who continue to overload vehicles or use unauthorised seating arrangements.

“The safety of passengers must always come first. We cannot allow a situation where profit is placed above people’s lives,” he said.

The warning comes amid efforts by government and the taxi industry to improve road safety and clamp down on dangerous practices in public transport.

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Responding to questions from The Witness, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said the department was working closely with Santaco’s newly elected leadership to intensify road safety measures across the province.

“We continue to work with the newly elected leadership of Santaco to intensify road safety measures,” said Duma.

He said the department would use the build-up to Transport Month in October to encourage communities to identify and recognise drivers who consistently comply with road safety regulations.

We aim to reward such drivers as part of encouraging good taxi-driver behaviour.

Duma also expressed support for Santaco’s Hlokomela initiative, which focuses on strengthening compliance and enforcing safety standards within the taxi industry.

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“Importantly, we support Santaco’s Hlokomela initiative, which focuses on enforcing safety measures.

“For our part as the department, we commit to working with Santaco to strengthen Hlokomela, especially in relation to combating overloading,” he said.