Taxi operators give government 21 days to resolve Intercape dispute

• The Ngcobo Taxi Association says it will shut down the town if government does not resolve its dispute with Intercape in 21 days.
• The taxi operators do not want the bus company to be allowed to load passengers in Ngcobo.
• The association claims government officials have agreed to review Intercape’s operating permits, but the transport department declined to comment.
• Senior police officials could be charged with contempt of court over alleged failures to enforce court orders to protect Intercape in Ngcobo.

Taxi operators in Ngcobo have given the government 21 days to resolve their dispute with long-distance bus company Intercape. The local taxi operators do not want the company to be allowed to load passengers in town.

After weeks of protests, Ngcobo residents are once again able to go to town to access health and government services, such as clinics, Home Affairs and SASSA. Schooling has also returned to normal.

Khuthele Jezile from the Ngcobo Taxi Association said the shutdown was suspended after a National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINT) meeting on Monday, attended by the Ngcobo Crisis Committee and directors-general of the departments for transport, cooperative governance and traditional affairs, and home affairs.

Jezile said the taxi association will decide in 21 days whether to resume its strike. He said the shutdown was not only about the Intercape dispute but also service delivery and unfinished projects.

He said they had engaged other bus companies about loading passengers in Ngcobo, “because their owners are also members of the taxi associations, and they don’t have buses every hour like Intercape”.

Jezile said the transport department had committed to review Intercape’s operating permits with the assistance of the Eastern Cape and Western Cape transport departments.

The Eastern Cape Department of Transport told GroundUp it will not be commenting.

Intercape lawyer Jac Marais from Adams & Adams Attorneys said, “The Ngcobo Taxi Association and the Dr AB Xuma Municipality – using the same attorney and the same advocate – in December 2025 applied to court to intervene in Intercape’s proceedings against SAPS [for failing to protect Intercape].

“They contended that Intercape’s operating licences were not valid, but during the hearing they conceded that Intercape did have valid operating licences. Intercape’s operating licences and entitlement to operate in Ngcobo were also confirmed by the court.”

“The transport MEC [Xolile Nqatha] and the Dr AB Xuma Municipality can easily confirm the validity of Intercape’s operating licences. They however choose to allow a false narrative about the validity of Intercape’s operating licences to persist and spread,” said Marais.

Marais said attempts to prevent Intercape loading passengers in Ngcobo have occurred in previous years, and usually intensify during busy periods, like the festive season. He referred GroundUp to a string of court orders over the years.

In February, the high court in Makhanda ruled that police must maintain a visible presence and deploy sufficient SAPS members at the stops along Intercape’s routes. The police were also to escort buses when requested by Intercape if there was legitimate concern of violence.

In June, the court put the national and the Eastern Cape police commissioners and the Ngcobo SAPS station commander on notice that they would need to show cause on the return date of the hearing – by providing evidence of their compliance with the previous orders – for why they should not be held in contempt of court. If they fail to do so, they will be held to be in contempt of court – a criminal offence.

The court also specifically ordered the police to maintain a visible presence at the Intercape loading area in Ngcobo. According to Intercape’s operating licences, it is also entitled to load at the SAPS station in Ngcobo if it is facing intimidation or violence at its normal stop.

On 13 October 2026, the court will decide whether to make its contempt of court order final.

This is not the first time SAPS’ actions have resulted in contempt of court proceedings.

In 2023, the commissioners were also facing contempt of court for failing to take similar steps to keep Intercape’s buses safe pending the preparation of an action plan by the Department of Transport. In that case, both the national and provincial commissioners were found to be in contempt of court.

Marais expressed disappointment with the police. He said it had taken them a long time to act against extortion and intimidation attacks on Intercape.

“We expect [government] to enforce the laws and protect its citizens who use transport services. No one in South Africa should be afraid to board a bus,” said Marais.

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