Minibus taxi and donkey cart transport in the townships of Grahamstown, South Africa
Two donkeys pull a cart, a motor vehicle rear axle carrying fence posts on which a man sleeps. Taxi transportation is a sector of the economy fully controlled by black people. The industry grew after the apartheid government's policy of economic deregulation in 1987, before which minibus taxis were illegal, and after which operators began to use large, 16 seat vehicles. The industry has an estimated annual turnover of billion (about £ billion), but there are safety issues. Overloading secures greater passenger numbers and fares. Drivers buy cheap parts (break pads and discs) out of their wages. They also speed because wages are based on the daily number of trips and passengers. Metered taxis, making up 10% of the South African taxi industry, are considered safer for visitors. In a fenced area, behind the minibus, we see the base of a tall security light, a legacy of apartheid days. A signpost on the fence points the way to a township high school.
Size: 5218px × 3465px
Location: Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, Republic of South Africa
Photo credit: © robert harrison / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: africa, apartheid, cart, donkey, driving, economy, grahamstown, issues, light, minibus, people, public, safety, sector, security, sitting, sleeping, south, talking, taxis, townships, transport, vehicles, walking
