Millions of people use minibus taxis to get around South Africa every day. These “pillars of public transport” (which are privately owned and run rather than operated by the state) account for 66.5% of all public transport on the country’s roads.
The vast majority of minibus taxi commuters come from lower-income and historically marginalised communities of colour that still bear the brunt of apartheid era spatial planning. They often don’t live close to their offices or schools and typically experience longer commuting times.
