Perceptions of the minimum wage in the Johannesburg taxi industry
Date
2017
Authors
Tumelo, Sechaba
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Abstract
Minimum wage laws in South Africa have been enacted and implemented for
some time with a broader intention that purports to protect and regulate what
are categorized at least from state’s definition as the vulnerable sectors, which
includes the taxi industry. The minibus taxi industry in South Africa is
characterized and plagued by inherent exploitative labour relations between
taxi drivers and operators. There are often contrasting views and disagreement
on the minimum wage which is supposed to be implemented by the
Department of Labour as the custodian of all the labour laws in the country
through inspections and enforcement by labour inspectors.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions held by the various
stakeholders in the taxi industry with respect to the implementation of the Sectoral
Wage Determination 11 as provided for by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act,
of1997. Interviews were held with ten taxi drivers, ten taxi operators based in
Johannesburg and from the Department of Labour, and three team leaders in the
Inspection and Enforcement Services, all based and servicing Johannesburg.
The study established that there is enough knowledge and appreciation of the
minimum wage; however, there is to a large extent transgressions and
noncompliance from employers in the industry. Monitoring and enforcement remain a
challenge fuelled by peculiarities and the dynamism that is not in tandem with
industry realities and legislative prescripts.
Description
Research Report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management,
University of Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment for a Masters in Management in the
field of Public and Development Management.
February 2017
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Citation
Tumelo, Sechaba (2016) Perceptions of the minimum wage in the Johannesburg taxi industry, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, <http://hdl.handle.net/10539/23105>