DURBAN - At 3 o’clock every morning, the alarm rings, and it’s time for David Naidoo*, a Phoenix taxi driver, to wake up. He refers to his salary as “petty cash”.
But the small amount he earns, on average R80-R120 a day, keeps him going, just as it has since leaving school 27 years ago.
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Reflecting on his “hostile” working conditions ahead of Workers’ Day on Tuesday, Naidoo said he had nothing to celebrate as taxi drivers bore the brunt of unfair labour practices.
The Quantum taxi driver is among thousands of drivers who ferry more than 15 million commuters a day nationwide.
“I joined the taxi industry straight from school. The situation today is much the same despite many laws and regulations passed by the government. There is no room for such here. We work with a target system where you have to reach R700 a day for the boss, and the rest is yours,” he says.
Naidoo, 48, said most taxi bosses had their own laws, and if you challenged them, you got fired.
“We’re often labelled as bad drivers, because of the pressures we work under. Our bosses want money, nothing else. We are often tempted to overload commuters, drive fast because we are chasing this R700 target so we can make our wages afterwards.
“On top of that, we have to pay fines, rank and security fees from our own pockets.”
Naidoo pleaded for government intervention, saying the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) and taxi owners’ associations could not help because they were formed by the same “unruly” taxi owners.
Mlungisi Dlala, 32, from Chesterville, has been driving for eight years, but had never discussed conditions nor salary with the owner. He was unaware of the proposed minimum wage or any associated labour laws. His salary has been the same for three years.
“You can’t start a salary conversation with the boss unless you want to lose your job. I will wait until he proposes an increase, but am wondering when that will happen.”
Santaco provincial manager Sfiso Shangase said the council was embarking on an awareness drive to educate owners about laws. This, he said, includes labour relations, conflict management, customer care and advanced driving.
Philip Taaibosch said the South African National Taxi Council president, speaks to local taxi drivers at the Bree Taxi Rank with regards to the launch of the Safe Ride Campaign. Picture : Simone Kley