A leaked audio according to the Daily Voice recording has stirred up controversy over alleged impoundment targets set by the City of Cape Town for taxis operating without the required documentation or using unapproved routes. The audio clip, reportedly featuring Petrus Roberts, Commissioner for Public Safety and Operational Coordination, surfaced during a period of heightened tensions between city authorities and taxi associations, drawing sharp criticism and intensifying the debate over the City’s intentions.
The audio recording is said to capture Roberts addressing several departments during a Safety and Security management meeting, questioning their performance regarding taxi impoundments. In the recording, Roberts is heard criticising departments that allegedly fell short of their impoundment quotas, emphasising the significance of meeting these targets.
“You are minus 43 taxis in arrears, technical services you are 26, and then TEU [Transport Enforcement Unit], you are the only one who is over the current situation. (Inaudible), you are behind 105 taxis,”
Roberts says in the recording, expressing frustration over the shortfall in impounded taxis.
He continues, highlighting the intense scrutiny city officials are under to enforce these targets:
“I cannot work like this. I’m getting monitored on a daily basis by various entities with regarding to the impoundment of taxis,”
Roberts says.
“That’s why I put up that slide this morning and indicate to metro police as well as law enforcement that you need to come the party and that we are doing our thing.”
Impoundment Numbers and Public Scrutiny
Taxi impoundment has become a prominent issue in Cape Town, with July seeing over 1,300 taxis impounded for operating without Operating Licences (OLs) or for using routes not designated on their OLs. These impoundments, however, have faced fierce opposition from various taxi associations, who argue that the City’s actions are financially motivated.
Mandla Hermanus, Chairperson of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), views the leaked recording as confirmation of the City’s intent to extract as much money as possible from the taxi industry before Operating Licences are issued.
“They want to take as much money out of the industry before these OLs are granted. This is a money-making scheme,”
Hermanus says.
“This is confirmed by a recording that is circulating, of a senior traffic official chastising junior officials who are not meeting their impoundment targets.”
Santaco argues that the City is well aware that new routes were only officially published on 4 October 2024. According to Hermanus, this process is critical for taxi associations, as it will enable them to acquire OLs for routes that have long awaited legalisation. Taxi leaders contend that the City’s approach disregards this timeline, applying pressure on the industry in the interim.
Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) Adds Its Voice
The Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA), represented by spokesperson Nkululeko Sityebi, echoed Santaco’s concerns, expressing frustration with the City’s approach.
“As Cata a leadership we are busy looking at all solutions and avenues to help us in this predicament that we are facing as a taxi industry,”
Sityebi remarks, underlining CATA’s commitment to exploring ways to address the challenges posed by these enforcement practices.
City Officials Defend Enforcement Approach
Despite the mounting criticisms, city officials have defended the necessity of performance targets within the enforcement process. JP Smith, Mayoral Committee (Mayco) Member for Safety and Security, insists that performance metrics are standard across professional sectors, including law enforcement. Smith highlights that the City regularly receives complaints from residents about the driving practices of minibus taxi drivers, asserting that these enforcement actions respond to public concerns.
Smith emphasises that impoundments align with the Taxi Task Team agreement, which allows action against non-compliant taxis.
“It must be noted that the City is only impounding in line with the Taxi Task Team agreement, where taxis are in contravention of the law, and to ensure there is a consequence for their continued disregard of the law,”
Smith states.
The most recent impoundment effort took place on Tuesday, with 33 minibus taxis detained in the Wetton area, an action underscoring the City’s commitment to its current enforcement policies.
Debate Over Proposed By-law Amendments
Hermanus has expressed suspicion regarding the timing of the City’s strict stance, suggesting that it may be linked to upcoming by-law amendments designed to extend impoundments to cover certain driving violations. He contends that this approach is aimed at swaying public opinion in favour of these new measures.
“He [Smith] will promote a narrative that says the current impoundment regime is not working, hence the need to introduce impoundments for moving violations through the by-laws,”
Hermanus asserts.
He further argues that alternative approaches could prove more effective in addressing driving behaviour, advocating for a more constructive approach to behavioural change within the taxi industry.
