The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has launched a groundbreaking Taxi Peace Ambassador Programme at the Bellville Taxi Rank, deploying sixteen mediators across the Western Cape’s eight taxi regions in response to recent violence that has claimed multiple lives in the industry.
The initiative represents what organisers describe as a concrete step toward transforming the province’s minibus taxi sector from dialogue to action.
According to coverage from The Voice of the Cape, the programme follows a peace summit held in August and comes following ongoing tensions between taxi associations, particularly over control of the Somerset West–Khayelitsha route.
The ambassadors will receive specialised training in conflict resolution and industry politics to help prevent disputes from escalating into violence.
Mandla Hermanus, SANTACO Regional Chairperson, noted that the summit resulted in ‘appointing leaders who can champion peace across the province and promote a violence-free minibus taxi industry.’
A recent series of violent incidents in the taxi sector has resulted in fatalities, caused significant community disruption, and undermined public trust in the safety of using public transport.
The killings of CATA deputy chairperson Mnikeli Mgope and former spokesperson Andile Seyamo are still under investigation, Hermanus said.
The new ambassadors will serve as what SANTACO terms community-based champions of non-violence, tasked with mediating tensions early, promoting accountability and serving as trusted points of contact for commuters and operators (TimesLive).
Hermanus revealed that the concept builds on a previous informal structure known as ’15-15′ that operated successfully for several years.
‘That concept worked. For about three to four years, there was not a single incident related to taxi violence,’ he recalled, noting the new programme represents ‘a revival of that idea’ but with a formal structure and expanded reach beyond the two main associations.
The initiative includes a complementary campaign titled ‘If You Hear Something, Say Something,’ which empowers commuters, drivers and operators to report threats or intimidation before they escalate into violence.
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