Gauteng MEC of Roads and Transport condemns mechanically unsafe public transport vehicles on roads
· Citizen
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, has condemned the use of mechanically unsafe public transport vehicles on roads after more than 60 taxis were taken off the roads.
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14 minibuses were discontinued during a recent high-impact stop-and-search operation, after officers identified serious mechanical defects which included faulty brakes, worn tyres, defective lighting systems, amongst other safety risks.
Traffic violations
“A public transport vehicle that is mechanically unsafe has no place on Gauteng’s roads.” MEC Diale-Tlabela emphasised.
Operations conducted by members of the Gauteng Traffic Inspectorate (GTI) in partnership with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), also uncovered a widespread of traffic violations after a total of 48 minibus taxi drivers were found operating without valid driving licences.
Another 43 vehicles were found operating without valid licence discs.
Discontinued vehicles
In addition, 20 discontinuation notices were issued to noncompliant motorists across the province.
Commenting on the results of the operations, the MEC said that the discontinuation of unroadworthy minibus taxis demonstrates that the department will not compromise on the safety of road users.
“Discontinuing these vehicles is not about disrupting public transport; it is about preventing avoidable crashes and ensuring that every passenger who uses a public transport vehicle can do so with confidence that their safety is guaranteed,” said Diale-Tlabela.
Stop-and-search operations
These operations were conducted across major metropolitan municipalities in Gauteng under the #RemoveSkorokoro campaign, targeting high-risk public transport corridors from 3 to 9 August 2026.
Based on engagements with taxi associations, the MEC has continued to raise safety concerns and has called on the industry to clamp down on, or refrain from using, incompetent or unlicensed drivers.