For decades, Cape Town taxi commuters have relied on loose coins, folded bank notes and shouted requests for change during packed daily journeys across the metro. Now, one of the Western Cape’s largest taxi associations is preparing to modernise the industry in one of its biggest operational shifts yet, with a fully cashless payment system set to launch from June.
Cape Town’s taxi industry is preparing for a major technological transition as the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association, better known as Codeta, moves ahead with plans to introduce a fully cashless payment system across parts of the Western Cape.
The new system is expected to officially launch on the 1st of June and will allow commuters to pay for trips using tap cards and scan-to-pay mobile technology instead of physical cash.
For many daily commuters, the change could dramatically alter the traditional taxi experience that has dominated public transport across Cape Town for generations.
Codeta chairperson Nceba Enge said the initiative was aimed at improving commuter safety while also reducing risks associated with carrying cash.
According to Enge, passengers will scan payment cards when entering taxis, helping eliminate some of the security concerns commuters face while travelling to and from work during early mornings and late evenings.
The association also confirmed that cameras would be installed inside taxis as part of the rollout in an effort to improve accountability and strengthen passenger safety.
The move comes at a time when parts of South Africa’s taxi industry continue facing challenges linked to violence, extortion, crime and internal disputes.
By reducing the amount of cash circulating inside taxis, operators hope the system could lower the risk of robberies and create safer conditions for both drivers and passengers.
The transition also reflects growing pressure for the taxi industry to modernise alongside broader digital payment trends already visible across South Africa’s retail and transport sectors.
Minibus taxis remain one of the largest forms of public transport in the Western Cape, carrying thousands of commuters daily between residential communities, transport hubs and economic centres.
That means any large-scale operational change inside the industry has the potential to affect a significant portion of Cape Town’s working population.
The South African National Taxi Council in the Western Cape has welcomed the initiative.
Santaco provincial spokesperson Makhosandile Tumana said the organisation hoped to expand similar cashless systems into additional regions in future as part of wider efforts to modernise operations and reduce challenges affecting the industry.
Tumana also linked the move to broader social concerns including extortion and substance abuse, saying the industry needed long-term solutions to improve conditions for commuters and operators alike.
However, the transition may not be without challenges.
Questions remain over how quickly commuters will adapt to the new system, particularly passengers who rely heavily on cash transactions or who may not have access to mobile banking technology.
Technical reliability, system downtime and card accessibility are also likely to become important issues during the early rollout stages.
Still, despite possible teething problems, the launch represents one of the biggest digital shifts the Cape Town taxi industry has seen in years.
For commuters used to counting coins before boarding taxis each morning, the daily routine may soon begin looking very different.
Source: IOL – Robin-Lee Francke.
