Emashumini: the gendered restrictions in an Ekurhuleni Taxi Association

Abstract

This research report is about the place of women in South Africa’s predominantly black-owned mini-bus minibus taxi industry. Currently, the industry is situated at the cusp of the informal economy and government regulation. Although women are slowly entering the industry it remains among the most male-dominated institutions. I argue that women in the minibus taxi industry are challenged with social and cultural norms which hinder their upward mobility in the industry. These unwritten gendered norms determine which women are fit to join the industry. In this work I explore participants’ perceptions and experience of gendered violence in the industry, the gendered distribution of labour, security (squad cars guarding routes), and the challenges the industry poses for widows. This report is based on my study of the restrictions and regulations of the Rando Taxi Association* during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. I engaged with fifteen participants, both men and women, by using a combination of telephonic interviews and voice diaries. I found that women in this association enter the industry in one of two ways: by ‘camping’ at the taxi rank for an opportunity to drive a route, or through widowhood. Significantly, widowhood automatically provides women with a seat on the executive committee of the taxi association. The death of a husband is a route to its upper ranks. However, to be a woman in these ranks comes at a great cost.