Every weekday morning, Kungile Mzwakadi, a 48-year-old security guard working in the city centre, takes the 5:20am train from Langa to Cape Town. For his journey to and from work, Mzwakadi spends R150 on a monthly train ticket.
Sibusiso Tshabalala
News | 11 November 2015
Violence over taxi routes erupted in Cape Town’s South Peninsula yesterday morning. The South Africa Police Service (SAPS) reports that a 59-year-old taxi driver and his 20-year-old assistant were shot dead at about 5:30am this morning in Seawinds.
Tariro Washinyira
News | 15 October 2015
What’s it like to be a woman taxi driver? It’s OK, says 52 year old Amina Stevens from Hanover Park - though some of her women passengers took a while to feel safe with her.
Siphesihle Matyila
News | 4 September 2015
Despite the long, snaking queues that form every working day, many commuters remain steadfast in using taxis as their means of transport and not the MyCiti bus.
Bernard Chiguvare
News | 7 August 2015
In the past year, 394 incidents of crime on trains were reported in the Western Cape according to Metrorail. “We are losing lives on overcrowded and dangerous trains,” said Cosatu Western Cape provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich last week at the launch of its Section 77 application to Nedlac relating to train transport in the Western Cape. A lack of security on the trains is a key concern of the campaign.
Ashleigh Furlong
News | 3 August 2015
A complete disregard for the no-smoking notices and rules on Metrorail trains and at stations by many commuters poses a daily health hazard to thousands of their fellow travellers. And Metrorail appears powerless to enforce the law.
Thembela Ntongana
News | 3 August 2015
Minibus taxi services along the west coast are being displaced by the MyCiTi bus system. According to the City, 229 taxis have already been removed. By the end of August, no taxi services will be licensed to operate on MyCiTi bus routes in the Tableview and Dunoon area with the exception of the Ysterplaat Taxi Association which will operate until its licences expire. These are set to expire between 2016 and 2018.
Mariska Morris
News | 17 July 2015
I have taken thousands of trips in metered taxis in Cape Town over the last ten years. In the last year or so I’ve switched to predominantly Uber taxis. Since I can’t legally drive due to poor eyesight, these are my primary ways of navigating the city. I therefore have a very significant interest in the battle between metered taxi companies and Uber. The aim of regulating an industry must ultimately be to serve the public interest. In the case of the metered taxi industry, the aim must be to ensure that a safe, reliable and affordable service is provided to the public, whilst of course ensuring that drivers are working under fair conditions of employment.
Marcus Low
Opinion | 13 July 2015
Starting in September, the Philippi Economic Development Initiative has plans to turn the Philippi area into a “vibrant urban hub”.
Mary-Anne Gontsana
News | 8 July 2015
COSATU and an organisation called Public Transport Voice have criticised Metrorail Cape Town's ticket increases which kick in today, 1 July 2015. Metrorail, however, says the fare increase is unavoidable.
Bernard Chiguvare
News | 1 July 2015
About 200 pupils from farm schools in Wolseley, Stellenbosch, Wellington and Grabouw handed a memorandum to the Western Cape Education Department on Monday. The demonstration was organised by Women on Farms Project.
Bernard Chiguvare
News | 29 June 2015
Residents in Wynberg and Plumstead were still up in arms on Wednesday over the new planned MyCiti bus route. They claim it has not involved true public participation. If implemented as currently proposed, many families will have to be evicted and the social character of Wynberg will be changed.
Ashleigh Furlong
News | 19 June 2015
City Press reported on Sunday the names of some people involved in a R51 billion PRASA tender for new train coaches. These included businessmen with close ties to the ANC, such as Thalente Myeni, son of Dudu Myeni who is the chairperson of SAA, as well as Pearl Zuma, a distant cousin of the president.
Text by GroundUp Staff. Photos by Masixole Feni.
News | 19 May 2015
At least three Golden Arrow buses and a delivery vehicle were set alight in Nyanga, apparently by taxi drivers who are demanding that the City Metro Police return their cars that were impounded yesterday.
Nombulelo Damba
News | 21 April 2015
Whiteboy and Tupac are chilling on a bench in New Canada station before their usual high-octane commute to school. Whiteboy, aged 18 and in grade 11 at a former model C school in Jozi, wears a striped T-shirt, shorts and brown suede shoes. He’s smoking Dunhill Courtleigh blends. His “macala” (friend) Tupac is a year younger, with short hair, neat in school rig and black toughees (school shoes) with red laces, high as a kite on weed, with sleepy red eyes. Their excited schoolgirl fans can’t wait to see the action.
Mosa Damane
Feature | 9 April 2015
The Metrorail website claims that it carries up to two million passengers per day countrywide. Finding a reliable estimate of how many people commute daily using trains in the Western Cape is challenging. Estimates range from 300,000 to over 700,000. Whatever the number, a lot of people, mostly working class, depend on trains to get to and from work.
Nathan Geffen
Opinion | 19 February 2015