“It’s no surprise, it’s destiny, I come from a long line of female taxi drivers.”
So says Tasneem Dollie, 35, from Colorado Park, who is a taxi driver on the Hanover Park to Cape Town route, and ferries 200 passengers in about 10 trips daily.
“I can proudly say I’m one of the safest taxi drivers you’ll ever meet in Cape Town. I don’t drink or smoke and I’m always alert and cautious for the wellbeing of my passengers,” says Tasneem, proudly adding that she’s never received a speeding fine, only a few for overloading.
“But that’s because the traffic officers count in the gaatjie and people who put their kids on their laps because they don’t want to pay for them.”
Tasneem is one of the women doing traditional male jobs, being featured in the Daily Voice during Women’s Month.
Tasneem, aka Merim as she is known by the Surran Road Taxi Association and on the Hanover Park Terminus, is a single mother of three boys, and says she is following in the footsteps of her mother, ouma and a number of aunts.
“My mother, Nabewia Taliep, was also a taxi driver for 25 years, as well as my aunts and my grandmother, Amina Abrahams.
“My granny, who has since passed on, was actually one of the first people who owned taxis in Cape Town and founded San Mini Taxis.”
Tasneem works from 5.30am to 6.30pm and says although the hours are long, she wouldn’t trade her job for anything else.
“I have matric and passed with an exemption, I was accepted to study cosmetology at UCT.
“But I was unmotivated after matric, I was eager to start working immediately and earning money.”
RIDE: Interacting with different people is fun, says Tasneem. Picture: Supplied
Tasneem drives a Toyota Quantum and says she refuses to be intimidated by men.
“I drive taxi because I want to, not because I have to. Driving taxi allows me to interact with different people daily, every day is different, unlike an office job.
“Men used to be very prejudiced towards me, but that didn’t stop me from showing them I can handle the industry.
“They used to intimidate me, like drive recklessly towards me (to scare me) and tell me the taxi industry is not for females, it’s a man’s world.”
She says gang violence has affected the industry badly.
A month ago drivers at the Hanover Park terminus were caught in rival gang crossfire.
“The gunmen ran in our direction and we had to run for cover. Since then I no longer stand on the terminus, I just drop off and go.”
DESTINY: Tasneem advises women to fulfill their dream job. Picture: Supplied
Tasneem wants to encourage women to do the job they want, not the ones society pushes them into.
“We as women can do everything a man can do and vice versa. We’re all equal in this day and age, but of course women are a bit more special,” she smiles.
venecia.america@inl.co.za