More than 80 unroadworthy minibus taxis have been forced off Gauteng roads in a sweeping crackdown that has laid bare alarming levels of lawlessness, with hundreds of drivers operating illegally and unsafe vehicles ferrying commuters, a crisis the department has warned is “risky, unacceptable and puts other road users in extreme danger.”
A week-long high-impact operation led by the Gauteng Transport Inspectorate (GTI), working with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), targeted Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni, where dozens of vehicles were found to be unfit for public use. In Ekurhuleni alone, 10 vehicles were impounded while 82 taxis were immediately discontinued, 64 in Johannesburg and 18 in Tshwane, effectively removing them from operation.
Officials said the removals were driven by serious mechanical defects that posed a direct threat to passenger safety, including faulty brakes, worn tyres, broken headlights, defective indicators and cracked windscreens.
The operation also exposed alarming levels of non-compliance among drivers. More than 1,000 manual fines were issued alongside 825 electronic infringement notices, while 267 taxi drivers were found operating without valid licences and 174 vehicles without licence discs. Four motorists were arrested for offences ranging from drunk driving to fraud and damage to state property.
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela warned that the findings point to a growing and deeply concerning trend within the taxi industry, where unroadworthy vehicles and unlicensed drivers continue to operate with little regard for public safety.
“Our teams have noted this trend developing in recent years. I will continue to take this up with industry leaders to assist in rooting out this practice. We wish to reiterate that this is risky, unacceptable and puts other road users in extreme danger,” she said.
She issued a blunt warning to operators, making it clear that enforcement will only intensify.
“The figures we are seeing today reflect the scale of non-compliance our officers deal with every day. Our message is clear, if you do not comply, you will not operate. Road safety is non-negotiable.”
Department spokesperson Melitah Madiba said the sustained operations are part of a broader push to restore order on Gauteng roads and clamp down on lawlessness within the public transport sector, adding that visibility and enforcement remain key in deterring violations.
Authorities said the crackdown forms part of ongoing efforts to reduce road crashes and fatalities, with a renewed focus on holding both drivers and operators accountable for unsafe practices that continue to endanger lives.
The Star
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