Taxis Jack Mincer Citichat 3 December 1999

CITICHAT 41/99 – 3 December 1999


Combi-Taxis – Jack Mincer

The words 'combi-taxi industry' generate images of bloodshed, mayhem and anarchy in many peoples' minds. In fact, quite a number of years ago now, we embarked on a project to publish a booklet encouraging the wider use of combi-taxis by identifying taxi routes and the sign-language that is needed to identify where one might want to go. We worked with a group of taxi operators and taxi association officials but the project came to a sudden and shocked halt when a number of them were 'taken out' I gather by rival operators/associations. We've not had much involvement with the combi-taxi industry since then!

So there was naturally quite a deal of scepticism in regard to the development of formalised ranking in the city for the combi-taxi industry. Well, the sceptics have been proved wrong! The 'pilot' project has been extremely successful in both concept and practical implementation. What does 'extremely successful' mean in relation to the combi-taxi industry, less than a death a week? Believe it or not since rank was completed and operationalised in February this year, there has been only one 'incident' on the rank evidently the largest formal rank in Southern Africa. And the incident was a bag-snatching that ended in the perpetrator being caught and thrashed on the spot! Apart from that, not a single incidence of violence.

The vacant site comprised four city blocks and was known as 'Union Grounds' on the one half and the Jack Mincer parking garage on the other. The development opportunity it offered was recognised by Lawrie Painting, more known for his work on shopping centres than taxi ranks. He and Grinaker Property Development put together a proposal that they submitted to the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Council that the site be redeveloped to accomodate the large number of taxis operating in the area but also to provide Retail and other facilities for commuters and pedestrians moving between the CBD and Hillbrow.

An initial survey indicated that there were some 2000 combi-taxis operating in the area belonging to 5 different taxi associations. Daunting enough for anyone for the prospect of persuading these supposedly diverse entities to work together and combine under one roof was considered an impossible task. In practice however, what was found was that those involved were merely trying to earn a living but in a very hostile work and business environment. The prospect, for the first time in the City's history, of being able to conduct an essential service from proper facilities was welcomed with open arms.

A Rank Control Committee consisting of two members from each Association was established and has functioned through the initial design stage, the building of the rank and now, finally is overseeing the operation and management of the rank.

Few people appreciate the significance of the combi-taxi industry in the South African economy. Lawrie Painting tells me that a single combi-taxi has a turnover of approximately R12 000 per month or R150 000 per annum. This means that the Park Central Rank, as it is now known, has a R300 million business which operates from it. Its 2000 taxis complete 5 trips each per day . At 16 passengers each, this results in the movement of 160 000 commuters every day or 4 million people per month, nearly 50 million per year. This makes it even more remarkable that there have been no incidents of violence in the ten months since the rank was operationalised.

The whole industry of course is also being modernised with proposals to replace existing vehicles already having been submitted to Government. The new approach is to have 18 and 35 seater vehicles as part of a R3 billion recapitalisation programme.

From the City's point of view, what is really significant is that the success has given the Council the confidence to proceed with plans for other major ranks and for the Metro Mall project which will accomodate 2500 taxis. Work on these projects is at an advanced stage and implementation will be commeced early next year.

By effectively taking taxi activity off the streets and with the Informal Trading Markets programme set to also largely move informal traders off the streets into better trading conditions (the first market will be opened next week), the visual appearance of the city will be greatly enhanced. All that will be left is to sort out the driving!