PRETORIA, Gauteng — Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has affirmed that the growing passenger rail industry is not a threat to the taxi industry, but rather a vital collaborator in South Africa’s integrated transport network. Addressing stakeholders, the minister emphasized that the government’s drive to secure investment and restore rail as the backbone of passenger and freight mobility is designed to work in harmony with existing road transport, ensuring commuters are efficiently moved from their starting point to their final destination.
Delivering her address at the Southern Africa Transport Conference under the theme “Developing and Sustaining Transport Systems in an Uncertain World,” Creecy highlighted remarkable turnaround statistics for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). The agency has successfully scaled its annual passenger trips from 10 million in 2020 to 101 million in the 2025/26 financial year. This surge is largely attributed to the ongoing refurbishment of pathways and stations, which has allowed PRASA to recover 35 of its 40 priority rail lines over the past two years.
Despite these milestones, Creecy was careful to reassure stakeholders that rail revitalization does not signal the demise of the minibus taxi sector. She noted that the transport ecosystem will continuously depend on taxis to bridge the gap, providing crucial first-mile, last-mile, and intermediate connectivity in areas where rail infrastructure is absent.
To support PRASA’s ambitious goal of reaching at least 600 million passenger trips by the 2030/31 financial year, strategic optimizations are underway. Creecy revealed that a dedicated team of experts from the United Kingdom is currently assessing whether South Africa can safely increase the number of trains operating per hour by maximizing existing signaling and infrastructure. This focus on capacity is vital, as rail remains a significantly more affordable public transport option for the majority of citizens.
Beyond traditional rail and taxi services, the government is actively exploring symbiotic feeder networks. Creecy cited recent engagements with local taxi associations to pilot motorcycle passenger transport services as a feeder solution. She pointed out that minibus taxis currently sit idle for at least 67 percent of their operational time. Introducing a motorcycle feeder that delivers two or three passengers per hour to a waiting taxi can drastically reduce this downtime, exponentially increasing the vehicle’s overall utility. Additionally, this model opens the door for route rationalization, as the average cost of recapitalizing a single taxi could alternatively purchase approximately five motorcycles.
Rounding out her remarks, the minister welcomed recent price relief at the fuel pumps. This economic adjustment is expected to provide much-needed relief to the freight and taxi industries, which have historically borne the brunt of elevated diesel costs.