The minibus taxi industry, public health, and passengers’ pandemic stories in Soweto

Abstract

The minibus taxi industry has played a critical role in the mobility of South Africans for decades. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 Virus, it has proven to play a role in the economic activities of the country, particularly transporting essential workers and consumers. Despite this importance, there is a significant gap in the literature about the experiences of passengers using taxis during a pandemic. This study hopes to contribute to filling this gap. It is a qualitative study that uses ethnography, semi-structured interviews, and taxi diaries as the main methods of data collection. My research found that passengers perceive the government’s rapid increase of passenger capacity at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as an act of support for the economic survival of the minibus taxi industry which put general public health concerns in second place. Passengers reported that high levels of non-compliance by taxi drivers and passengers make them susceptible to infection. Overall, the findings of this paper indicate that passengers’ experiences of moving along the Khulu Township – Johannesburg route are shaped by decisions made by the government as well as the relationship that the minibus taxi industry has with the post-apartheid government of South Africa.