Tag Archives: 28 October 2026 – The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management

Tlhapi establishes task team to resolve Rustenburg taxi dispute

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Picture: North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Virginia Tlhapi during consultative engagement/Supplied

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

28 October 2026 – The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Virginia Tlhapi has established a technical task team to address an escalating taxi dispute in Rustenburg involving different taxi associations and alleged illegal operators on the Tlhabane-Rustenburg route. The decision follows a stakeholder engagement meeting convened by Tlhapi to find a lasting solution to the dispute, which has reportedly spread to other local routes serving shopping malls in Rustenburg.

According to the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management, the matter was first reported in 2023. The department said interventions were subsequently undertaken through the North West Public Transport Intervention Team (NWPTIT), which developed resolutions aimed at addressing the dispute.

“However, the department indicated that the resolutions appeared not to have been implemented by the affected stakeholders, contributing to the continued escalation of tensions.

“Following presentations by stakeholders during the meeting, we resolved to establish a technical committee comprising representatives of all affected parties to address the technical and operational issues underlying the dispute,” she said.

Tlhapi further said the committee will be led by the department’s Head of Department, Dr Hans Kekana and is expected to present a turnaround strategy to her within two weeks. She expressed appreciation to the taxi associations for participating in the engagement and emphasised the importance of respecting the law.

“We, the department, are the custodians of transport and law enforcement; therefore, we can never allow any lawlessness in our province.

“We warn that uncontrolled taxi operations could have serious consequences for commuters who rely on public transport to reach their destinations daily,” said Tlhapi.

She added that uncontrolled taxi operation in the province will disadvantage the innocent commuters who are fully reliant on these operations to reach their destinations on a daily basis. Tlhapi said her department’s intervention aims to resolve the operational challenges contributing to the dispute, restore stability on the affected routes and protect commuters who depend on public transport services.

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