South Africans will soon have to dig deeper into their pockets as SANTACO warns taxi fares may rise in response to soaring fuel costs.
Petrol prices are expected to increase by up to R5 per litre and diesel by more than R10 from April 1, driven by higher international oil prices, a weaker rand, and tax levies. The price increases are a result of the ongoing war in the Middle East, which has pushed Brent crude prices up by around 38% since last month.
In an interview, IOL spoke to SANTACO spokesperson Rebecca Phala, who said the organisation was already contemplating increasing taxi fares to help operators cope with the rising costs.
She noted that while SANTACO provides ongoing guidance on key considerations when reviewing fares, the authority to decide on the timing and extent of fare adjustments rests with individual taxi associations affiliated with the organisation.
Phala also revealed that "some associations have already implemented increases, while others are in the process of finalising their decisions".
"Yes, we are. The anticipated fuel price increases, coupled with concerns around supply constraints and early price adjustments at some petrol stations, are already placing significant pressure on the taxi industry. As a result, many taxi associations are being compelled to consider fare adjustments," Phala said.
"It is important to note that taxi fares are not determined by fuel prices alone, but by a range of operational factors, inclusive of vehicle instalment costs, admin costs, vehicle maintenance, and business growth prospects. Given the current urgency and prevailing economic conditions, fare increases have become necessary for associations to sustain their operations".
The increase could come as a huge blow to many households. According to the Household Affordability Index compiled by Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PMBEJD), transport already consumes around 58% of the average worker’s monthly wage.
"The taxi industry operates without direct government subsidies and relies primarily on fare revenue to sustain its operations. This limits the ability to implement differentiated pricing or targeted relief measures for specific income groups." Phala said.
"However, taxi associations remain mindful of the financial pressures faced by commuters and aim to introduce fare adjustments in a way that does not significantly deter usage, as affordability remains critical for both commuters and the sustainability of the industry".
She said: "SANTACO’s internal structures (Provincial structures, regional structures and association level structures) are already actively engaging on these matters".
"Once decisions are finalised, member associations will communicate fare adjustments directly to commuters through established channels, including notice boards in vehicles, at taxi ranks and official social media platforms".
*This article was first published by IOL News
Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has again challenged KwaZulu-Natal provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to substantiate the allegations linking him to a meeting with former National Prosecution Director Advocate Shamila Batohi and Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala’s legal team.
Speaking on the sidelines of a funeral in Richards Bay on Sunday, Mchunu reiterated his calls to Mkhwanazi to provide evidence to back his claim that he and Batohi, together with Matlala’s lawyers, went to Kgosi Mampuru prison to meet with Matlala.
Matlala is a South African tender tycoon and criminal suspect known for his involvement in large state contracts and related controversies.
During a recent appearance in the Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee, Mkhwanazi presented a handwritten letter which he claimed he obtained from fraud accused awaiting trial prisoner, Jermaine Prim. In the letter, Prim claimed that Mchunu, Batohi and Matlala’s lawyer visited Matlala to sign an affidavit that stating Matlala did not know Mchunu.
However, Mchunu dismissed the claim as lies, challenging Mkhwanazi to provide proof.
“I never met Batohi. I never met her with these people as claimed by Mkhwanazi. This is a problem when people would go around making allegations against other people without providing evidence. If you make allegations against other people without evidence, they can also make allegations against you without providing proof,” said Mchunu.
He also announced his readiness to return to both the Madlanga Commission and Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee if necessary.
Mkhwanazi’s allegations emanate from his media briefing last year, where he claimed that Mchunu disbanded the Political Killings Task Team in order to protect a Gauteng drug cartel. This led to Mchunu's suspension as Police Minister and he subsequently stepped aside from his political work as a National Executive Committee member of the ANC.
Last week, he wrote to the ANC asking to resume his duties as an NEC member. On whether the ANC approved the resumption of his political work, Mchunu said his letter to the party was merely to inform it about his return to active politics.
*This article was first published by IOL News
Retired Justice Sisi Khampepe will remain as chairperson of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate political interference in the investigation and prosecution of Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) cases.
This comes after the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg on Monday dismissed the legal bid by former presidents Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki to have her recused herself from the commission. Justice Khampepe was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in May last year to head the commission.
It was claimed that a whistleblower revealed that Justice Khampepe colluded with the commission’s evidence leader, Semenya, and gave him advice during an application last year for his recusal from the commission. The claims included that she also told him to give certain “tips” to advocate Vas Soni SC, who had represented him in the recusal application, and that she had “coached” him on how to conduct his case.
Among the grounds sought for Justice Khampepe’s recusal were that she worked for the TRC’s amnesty committee and as Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) before being appointed to the bench. Zuma sought a declaration from the high court that Justice Khampepe’s dismissal of the recusal application was unconstitutional and invalid, as well as review and set aside the decision.
Alternatively, Zuma has asked the court to review and set aside Justice Khampepe’s decision on the basis of the principle of legality. Mbeki has asked the high court to order that Ramaphosa terminate his appointment of Justice Khampepe and declare all the decisions the commission has taken so far under her null and void.
This is a developing story.
*This article was first published by IOL News
By Bernell Simons
Landfill sites in Mangaung remain in a state of crisis, with criminal activity, illegal occupation by waste pickers and persistent fires continuing to undermine waste management efforts in the metro.
The issue was thrust back into the spotlight earlier this month during a three-day conference led by Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Bernice Swarts in Bloemfontein.
The gathering brought together stakeholders from national, provincial and local government to confront long-standing failures in the system.
At the centre of the debate is the ongoing marginalisation of waste pickers.
Speaking on behalf of the African Reclaimers Organisation, Luyanda Hlatshwayo said government has failed to act on warnings raised more than a decade ago. He highlighted that policies to formally integrate waste pickers already exist but are poorly implemented, leaving many operating in unsafe and unregulated conditions.
Oversight inspections conducted by the Department of Forestry Fisheries and the Environment revealed the extent of the dysfunction.
Officials identified broken fencing, uncontrolled access points and the emergence of informal settlements within landfill sites — conditions that enable both criminal activity and illegal dumping.
Deputy director-general for chemicals and waste-management in the department of forestry, fisheries and environment, Mamogala Musekene confirmed that vandalism and weak access control continue to compromise safety and effective site management.
Musukene says landfill sites are no longer just waste facilities, but hotspots of lawlessness and environmental risk.
“It spans years of ignored warnings, now culminating in a worsening crisis in key landfill sites in Mangaung.
“This is the result of poor enforcement, lack of coordination and failure to implement existing policies and it is rooted in collapsing infrastructure and systemic neglect, he said.
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JN Reporter
In a moment heavy with history and healing, the ancestral remains of 63 Khoi and San people have finally been laid to rest in their homeland in the Northern Cape—more than a century after they were taken without consent for colonial scientific study.
Repatriated last year from the University of Glasgow’s Hunterian Museum and cared for by Iziko Museums of South Africa, the remains were reburied near Steinkopf in a ceremony marked by dignity, reflection and cultural rites.
President Cyril Ramaphosa described the return as a vital act of restoration, acknowledging the long-ignored trauma of indigenous erasure and affirming government’s commitment to justice.
Led by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the South African Heritage Resources Agency, the reburial ensured each ancestor was laid to rest individually—restoring the dignity once denied.
For descendants, it was a long-overdue homecoming—one that closes a painful chapter while opening a path toward healing.
