Gauteng taxi strike looms over operating licence dispute despite MEC denying backlog

Johannesburg – Gauteng could face a major transport and economic disruption from Tuesday, 28 July, as the National Taxi Alliance (NTA) threatens a strike and possible seven-day shutdown over a dispute involving operating licence backlogs.

According to The South African, the NTA claims thousands of taxi operators have been unable to renew or obtain operating licences because of delays at the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, leaving many vehicles vulnerable to fines and impoundment.

However, Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela has denied there is a backlog, insisting the licensing system is functioning properly.

She argues the planned shutdown is being driven by illegal operators and “ghost members”, citing discrepancies between the alliance’s membership figures and departmental records.

The NTA is demanding urgent talks with the MEC, warning that the strike will proceed for at least seven days if no agreement is reached.

‘When you win, you win’

Responding to concerns from the taxi industry, Diale-Tlabela said the department had significantly improved its processing of operating licences, issuing more than 3,000 licences since November 2025 after strengthening its administrative capacity, eNCA reported.

“The backlog is gone. Now we are entering what we’ve been suspecting. That’s a massive milestone,” the MEC said.

She defended the department’s enforcement efforts, saying: “We don’t like law enforcement as a society, generally. We want it, we want to see it happen, but when it happens we don’t want it. And I think this is a classical case.”

Diale-Tlabela added that the department had worked closely with the taxi industry to resolve long-standing challenges.

“When you win, you win. And I think we did our best; we won because we worked closely with them, we partnered with them to understand the material contradictions,” she said.

The threatened action comes just weeks after anti-migrant protests disrupted parts of South Africa and has raised concerns about its economic impact, with more than 75% of South Africans relying on minibus taxis for daily transport. Businesses are also bracing for potential losses similar to those experienced during Cape Town’s 2023 taxi strike.