A leaked audio recording has exposed the City of Cape Town's alleged aggressive taxi impoundment targets, igniting a bekgeveg between city officials and taxi associations.
In July, more than 1 300 taxis were impounded for operating without Operating Licences (OLs) or for using routes not specified on their OLs.
The one-minute audio clip reportedly features Petrus Roberts, the Commissioner for Public Safety and Operational Coordination, speaking during a weekly Safety and Security management meeting.
In the recording, Roberts discusses performance targets, slamming some departments who apparently did not meet their targets.
Roberts says that Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, councillor Rob Quintas, and the provincial MiniBus Taxi Task Team are all reviewing these statistics on a daily basis.
He can be heard saying: “...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.
“I cannot work like this. I’m getting monitored on a daily basis by various entities with regarding to the impoundment of taxis.
“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.”
The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has labelled the leaked recording as a scheme by the City to generate revenue.
Chairperson Mandla Hermanus says: “They want to take as much money out of the industry before these OLs are granted. This is a money-making scheme.
“This is confirmed by a recording that is circulating, of a senior traffic official chastising junior officials who are not meeting their impoundment targets.
“The City is aware that the new routes have only been gazetted on 4 October 2024, a process that will result in associations receiving OLs for approved routes that had been long outstanding for legalisation.”
Nkululeko Sityebi, spokesperson for the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata), agrees and says the City’s intentions with regards to impounds are evident.
Sityebi says: “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.”
However, the Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, says performance targets are standard in any professional setting, including enforcement services.
He says the City receives a number of complaints each day from residents regarding the driving behaviour of minibus taxis, and officials are required to take appropriate action.
“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.”
On Tuesday, thirty-three minibus taxis were impounded in the Wetton area.
Hermanus accused the City of trying to gain public support for the upcoming amended by-laws, which aim to reintroduce impoundments for poor driver behaviour.
“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.”
He says a more constructive approach to changing driver would be more effective.