A tense standoff between the KwaDabeka Taxi Association and the KwaZulu-Natal eHailing Council has been resolved following high-level intervention by provincial authorities. The breakthrough comes after a violent incident on Wednesday where an e-hailing driver was assaulted and another was shot at by alleged taxi operators in the area, west of Durban.
The attack prompted an immediate police response. On Thursday, fifteen taxi operators and drivers were taken in for questioning. Police confirmed that twelve licensed firearms were confiscated during the operation, with some individuals facing potential charges for contravening the Firearms Act due to the weapons not being stored properly.
To quell the rising tensions, the KZN Department of Transport and the local station commander intervened, facilitating a closed-door meeting between the feuding parties on Thursday.
Emerging from the talks, KZN Transport spokesperson Mr. Ndabezinhle Sibiya hailed the agreement as a “historic” step towards peace and stability. He credited MEC for Transport Sipho Hlomuka Duma and Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi for deploying dedicated teams from law enforcement and the provincial regulatory entity to mediate.
“We are emerging from this meeting speaking with one voice,” Sibiya stated. “We are going to work together.”
A key outcome of the meeting is a plan for joint, multi-disciplinary roadblocks involving the eHailing Council, SAPS, Metro Police, and the Road Traffic Inspectorate. The primary target of these operations will be “illegal operators” who do not use a formal booking app.
Sibiya emphasized the need to distinguish between legitimate operators from both sectors who possess the correct documentation and those operating outside the law. “They need to be protected. That is what the MEC has said to ensure that the emerging entrepreneurs in this sector of our economy are protected,” he explained.
The agreement is seen as a critical model for the province, especially with the anticipated gazetting of new regulations for the e-hailing sector in October. The amended National Land Transport Act will formally integrate e-hailing companies into the public transport system, moving them from operating under a practice notice for metered taxis to being recognized as independent transport companies.
Looking forward, MEC Duma has directed that major e-hailing app companies like Uber and Bolt (formerly Taxify) be brought into future discussions. The goal is to solidify the “KwaDabeka formula”—a blueprint for peaceful coexistence between traditional taxis and e-hailing services that can be replicated across KwaZulu-Natal.
The e-hailing Council reported being “quite satisfied” with the outcomes of the meeting, signaling a new chapter of cooperation in the often-fractious public transport industry.
