A FORK IN THE ROAD? The formalisation of South Africa's minibus taxi industry

 164pp., paperback, Sun Media, Stellenbosch, 2026

ISBN: 9781998951772

Siyabulela Christopher Fobosi challenges dominant narratives of dysfunction and positions South Africa's minibus taxi industry as a critical site of economic participation, resistance, and transformation.

His analysis includes the historical evolution and reinvention of the industry, with its origins in apartheid spatial planning; the risks and uncertainties faced by workers, including job insecurity, low wages and a lack of formal employment protection; the power dynamics and economic forces that shape the industry; the transition from deregulation to formalisation with its challenges and resistance within the industry; the impact of technological advancements such as digital payments and ride-hailing apps, and the persistent issue of taxi violence, as well as suggestions for a more unified and transformed industry and its integration into the national economy. 

Dr Siyabulela Christopher Fobosi holds a PhD in Industrial Sociology from the University of Johannesburg and is a senior researcher in the Department of Public and Constitutional Law at the University of Fort Hare.