Taxi fares to go up in the Western Cape next week

Taxi commuters in the Western Cape can expect the fare to go up as of Monday next week. Led by the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) in the province, the eight taxi regions announced that fares will be increased. At the press conference on Thursday, Santaco’s provincial secretary told reporters that they have to increase the fare because of the petrol price hike and increased costs related to the industry.

“We want to emphasise that fuel is a serious pressure, but fuel is not the only cost that determines taxi fares. A taxi operator must carry the cost of vehicle finance payments, insurance, vehicle registration, licence fees, servicing and repairs, fuel, driver costs, rank marshal payments, payments to sliding-door operators or conductors, association fees and other operational expenses. These are not optional costs,” he said.

Since the beginning of the year, petrol prices have gone up three times and they are expected to go up again next month. The taxi council also said that the number of taxis repossessed by the banks, is increasing as owners struggle to keep up with the monthly installments.

According to Santaco, the fare increment amounts are determined by the associations as they are best placed to do so. “Santaco Western Cape does not impose one blanket fare increase across the entire province. Each region, and primary association understands its own routes, distances, passenger volumes, road conditions, operating costs and commuter affordability,” said Mayezana.

Taxi associations Cata and Codeta announcing taxi fare hikes on Thursday, 14 May 2026. Video produced and edited by Mzi Velapi

The two biggest associations, and rivals, the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) and the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta), announced that the fares for local travel will go up by R3 and R2 respectively. They both warned that the fare hike on some routes might be even higher than what they had announced.

“We plead with the commuters to understand the situation and that the ongoing war between America and Iran is out of our control,” said Nceba Enge, Codeta’s chairperson. “Fares for local routes will come into effect on Monday. It is the same for long distance, it will come into effect next week. Our customers normally approach us on Tuesday for special trips,” Enge said.

The long distance fare to the Eastern Cape has increased by R150 – from R1,000 to R1,150. A special trip or return leaving on Thursday to the Eastern Cape has increased from R1,250 to R1,400.