The Mini-bus Taxi

Mini-bus taxis are a true South African experience....especially for foreigners like me! They are the most common mode of transportation for blacks in Joburg, especially since the public transportation system is terrible. There are literally thousands of these "creations" all over the city. They are not regualed by anytype of government, so they can be interesting to say the least.

The System
They typically operate out of large central hubs called "taxi ranks". To an outsider these ranks seem chaotic to say the least. They are composed of long lanes that run parallel to each other, each representing a different area of the city. The taxis for each area line up in these lanes. When the taxi at the front of the lane has enough passengers to leave it does - no set times here. Each Taxi holds 15 passengers plus the driver so the wait can be long at times. When a person gets off, the driver will honk at every single pedestrian he sees in order to tell them he has extra space. Each person files into the spot were they feel the safest and waits to leave. After they take off, each passenger (from back to front) is responsible for passing their 4 Rands to the person in front of them. If the driver does not recieve all the money by the time people start getting off, there is a good chance a fight will break out. Pretty simple ;)

On the routes there are hand signals people can use to wave down the taxis. If the driver is heading in the direction in which you signal, he will stop at all costs to pick you up. In my first taxi ride, the driver held up Friday rush hour traffic for 5 minutes to pick up one lady!

The Drivers
These men are crazy. They have no regard for any type of traffic laws and see roads as guildlines. They all work on a commission type system, so if they don't take enough passengers in one day they will have to explain it to the taxi owner. They all seem to have their own secret language when they meet another driver on the road.

The Minibus
A 1985 Toyota minivan is the most common minibus of choice for drivers, but what they add to it(or don't add to it) is only limited to their creativity. Many times when you get into these royal mobiles, you are treated to a view of the open road through a hole that has rusted throught the floor. These are complimented with wires poking through the seats and windows composed of duct tape. I have realized why these minor details are neglected - the driver's lover for music. The rough edges of many of these taxis are really brought to life by a huge bass-pounding stereo located under the back seat. When you get in there is typically some Xulu rap music echoing through the "vehicle".

A popular pass time around Joburg is telling outrageous taxi stories. Since I have been here, I have been treated to a few gems. One guy told me that on one taxi trip, the driver desperately wanted to fit an extra person in. He tried everything, but his seat was too far back and if he moved if forward the steering wheel was in the way. So, being an inventive genius, he decided to take off the steering wheel and steer with a wrench!! Another friend of mine said that one night he was driving and saw a taxi without any headlights. To compensate the driver was hanging out the window using a tourch to light his way!!

All I can say is: Wow. That's all for now. I hope you had as much fun reading this as I did writing it!!