Minibus taxis are ubiquitous in South Africa. Far from being simply the most common form of transport, however, minibus taxis signal how precarity and racial inequality continue to define everyday life for most South Africans.
While Black people largely depend on minibus taxis to travel to work and everywhere else, white people are rarely seen on public transport. This makes sense as white people, who make up less than 8% of the South African population of 62 million, still control most of the land and economy. Meanwhile, 64% of Black South Africans live in poverty.
