Johannesburg taxi commuters are expected to be stranded tomorrow as taxi operators embark on a massive stay away. Taxi operators under the banner of the United Taxi Association Forum (UTAF) are protesting against the roll out of more BRT buses expected to start running on Monday, between Dobsonville in Soweto and the Johannesburg CBD from Monday.

UTAF spokesperson, Ralph Jones, has accused the City of Johannesburg of impounding taxis in an effort to create space to implement the BRT bus feeder system. The City of Johannesburg says it will go ahead with the implementation of the service.

Meanwhile, the government has given taxi owners and financial institutions six months to fix the illegally converted minibus taxis currently on the roads. The Deputy Transport Minister Jeremy Cronin recently said it costs about R18 000 to convert a panel van into a minibus taxi compliant with the safety specifications.

There are currently 2353 panel vans in South Africa that have been illegally converted into passenger-carrying minibuses and do not comply with new safety standards. These vehicles are among the 32 000 taxis scrapped and replaced with new ones under the government's taxi recapitalisation programme.