There’s more to taxi scrapping than recapitalisation, says Caroline Montshiwa

Taxi recapitalisation has three beneficial elements: moral, financial and developmental. So says Caroline Montshiwa, a taxi owner operating from the Mokopane taxi rank in the Waterberg, in Limpopo.

“The moral argument is on safety, while the financial benefit is that the vehicle you scrap is worth less than what you get in compensation. The developmental argument is that in the main, taxi trips will experience fewer breakdowns and this talks to consistency of service, which will result in business growth,” she states firmly.

Montshiwa thus sees the kinds of value that taxi recapitalisation offers beyond simply replacing an old vehicle, even though the one she operates doesn’t qualify – a 2007 Toyota Siyaya, it falls just outside the 4 September 2006 cut-off date for vehicles that currently may be scrapped and recapitalised.

Montshiwa, a single mother of one, inherited her business from her late father, who taught her the ropes as early as 1989, she says: “The knowledge acquired over time is my key motivation to continue in the business and this is strengthened by my desire to serve our people.”

She is a leader in her part of the world, serving as treasurer of Waterberg district taxi council, secretary of the Lebowa West Taxi Association and chairperson of the Seleka Operational Route in Waterberg, Limpopo. She is passionate about how women can and should play a more prominent role in the taxi industry.

“There remains a gap for women to play a role in order to influence decision-making in the sector … I believe there should be more women in the taxi industry as the involvement of women would assist in the eradication of poverty. Furthermore, women involvement will help entrench equality in the sector while dealing with gender biases,” says Montshiwa, who says resistance in the industry to change is a challenge.

“The taxi sector is one that is not well regulated and the lack of regulation incentivises the resistance to change. Such resistance brings a chain of reactions, such as discrimination and non-existent working conditions.

“The primary change that one would like to see is the realisation of freedom for women in the taxi industry. The industry should be freed from systemic oppression and consolidation of both patriarchal tendencies and masculinity. This will bring about economic development,” says Montshiwa.

She’s not about to give up her struggle. In fact, Montshiwa has big goals for herself, her business and the taxi industry.

“The plan is to have a growing business, diversify, in order to address the travel needs and demands of ‘batho ba gaSeleka’. I would also like to be developed further, with some management training, in order to adequately respond to future business challenges. I also would like to develop my leadership abilities in order to continue influencing taxi industry decision-making,” she says.