Thousands of Eastern Cape commuters will have to dig deeper into their pockets from July 1 after taxi union Santaco agreed on major fare increases, adding hundreds of rand a month to the transport bills of already struggling workers.
The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) in the province confirmed that local taxi fares would increase across the province in July.
Long-distance routes will also face increases, though the new tariffs have not yet been finalised.
In Buffalo City Metro, commuters travelling from Mdantsane Highway to KuGompo City CBD will pay R30 instead of R25, while local Mdantsane fares between Zones 1 and 12 will increase from R18 to R20.
Commuters travelling from Mdantsane Zone 6 to Ntabozuko will pay R50, up from R40, while fares from KuGompo City’s CBD to Hemingways, Beacon Bay, Vincent, Berea and Gonubie will rise from R20 to R22.
Passengers travelling between the city centre and outlying areas including Kidd’s Beach, Ntsaba, New Rest, Mpongo and Sandile will pay R41, an increase of R5.
For Mdantsane Highway resident Anganathi Msito, the increases would add about R400 to her monthly transport bill.
Msito currently spends about R1,800 a month travelling to work, paying R20 from her home to Mdantsane Highway and a further R25 to town for a daily return trip.
From next month, her transport costs will rise to about R2,200 a month.
She said the increase would force her to consider alternatives such as buses or trains, despite concerns about reliability and scheduling.
Msintsi resident Sinako Willie, who commutes six days a week, estimates the increases will add about R240 a month to his transport costs.
He said the fare hikes came at a time when salaries were stagnant and the cost of living continued to rise, placing additional strain on working-class households.
Meanwhile Lizeka Simayile, from Bompini near King Phalo Airport, said the increase, though smaller on her route, would still affect her monthly budget.
She said transport costs were increasingly influencing where people chose to live and work, with some moving closer to their workplaces to reduce commuting expenses.
Mthatha residents are also feeling the pinch.
Nolungile Mthwesi, a 57-year-old street vendor from Chris Hani, said her fare had increased by R2 to R17.
While the increase appeared small, she said it would accumulate over the course of a month and cut into already thin earnings.
Another vendor, Mildred Bottoman, from Waterfall Township, said traders were under pressure as the costs of transport, food and other essentials continued to climb.
Ncediswa Tshandu, from Ntlaza, said she would now pay R50 to travel to Mthatha, up from R40.
The mother of two, who relies on social grants, said rising transport costs meant she could no longer afford frequent trips to town.
Santaco provincial co-ordinator Maliviwe Mpeqeka said rising fuel prices and increasing maintenance costs were among the reasons behind the fare hikes.
The increases were meant to be implemented in May but were delayed.
“There haven’t been increases in taxi fares for Qonce and KuGompo in a long time. Petrol went up significantly twice this year.
“We met Buffalo City leadership about this and all agreed that the hikes must be put into effect,” Mpeqeka said.
He said operators were under growing financial pressure.
“Now we can see we’re working for filling stations because the money we get is mostly spent on fuel.
“It’s been a long time since we have had increases locally. This industry is not subsidised.
“Our people must understand that we are forced by the high costs.
“We understand the frustration as they do not receive increases in their workplace in line with our decisions.
“The government should find a way to help bridge this gap,” he said.
Some drivers have also raised concerns about the increases.
A senior official at a local taxi association said drivers planned to meet to discuss the fare adjustments.
“We saw the circulation and it was agreed by the upper structures. We will meet as drivers to express our concerns.
“At the moment there are disagreements, but once we meet, we will reach consensus and inform the association of our views,” the member said.
Provincial transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose said the department had taken note of the decision by some sectors of the taxi industry to increase fares due to escalating operational costs.
Binqose acknowledged that fare hikes placed additional pressure on commuters, particularly those from low-income households, but said introducing a subsidy for the minibus taxi industry was a complex matter.
He said any subsidy programme would require extensive policy planning, dedicated funding, regulatory frameworks, consultation with the National Treasury and other spheres of government, as well as systems to ensure accountability and long-term sustainability.
“The taxi industry remains the primary mode of public transport for the majority of commuters.
“For this reason, discussions regarding its long-term viability remain an important issue and continue at different levels of government,” he said.
Binqose said the department would continue engaging taxi operators and other stakeholders on issues affecting both commuters and the industry, while urging that fare increases be implemented responsibly and with due consideration for the financial challenges facing the travelling public.
The move comes after Santaco’s national leadership approved fare increases in May to cushion operators against rising operating costs.
The council advised local associations to increase short-distance fares by between R2 and R6, while long-distance routes could rise by between R10 and R30.
Fuel prices rose sharply earlier this year, with petrol increasing by about R3.06 a litre in April and diesel by more than R7 a litre amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and pressure on global oil markets.
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