Nobody's Business

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Thabo Jijana has written a peculiar elegy dedicated to his father (Fundisile Richard Seyimane), a taxi operator in a small town called Peddie in the former Ciskei. Thabo’s father passed away from a bullet to the head from a rival association member back in 2003. To give context, King Williams town had two main taxi associations Ncedo Taxi Association and Border Alliance Taxi Association (Bata). Bata was affiliated with the Peddie Taxi Association where Thabo’s father was operating. Post 1994 the new government sought to get rid of the limitations and constraints of the taxi industry and have one central taxi rank operating instead of these different branches. Bata already had an upper hand in profitable routes and integration meant that they would have to let other players in their market share. This saw legislation change and organisations like SABTA rebrand into SANTACO.

When integration started taking place, taxi operators could not work together as one. There were constant altercations and confrontations between operators because everyone was looking out for their original allies. Each taxi association started having operators who guarded their taxis and often faced attacks from opposing associations which ultimately also led to the passing of Thabo’s father. The integration failed dismally, Bata and other associations went back to working their routes how they initially did. Bata isolated itself and operated in solitude, because they have supremacy on the taxi routes there are constant battles with other associations trying to expand into their territory.

The person who murdered Thabo’s father was never found. During his investigation, it was clear that taxi politics are nobody’s business and at certain times even police officers are affiliated. Even though police officers are not allowed to own taxis, they often use their spouses to purchase and run them while they remain in the shadows.

Amid all the violence, the elegy also expressed the significance of taxi routes for workers who form one of the major pillars of the economic ecosystem. Disruptions such as strikes, increases in fuel and the territory debate greatly impact this ecosystem. The routes of the taxi industry currently are governed by associations, and they operate in grey spaces in greater legislation, this shows how the previous government deregulated the industry without actually regulating it afterwards.

References

Jijana, T.(2014). Nobody's Business: A Memoir.Jacana Media; None edition (May 1, 2015).