Abstract
D.Phil.
The overall aim of this study is to provide explanations for the fact that after nearly ten
years since its inception in 1999, the Taxi Recapitalisation Policy had not been
successfully implemented by the end of 2008.
The study is based on an analysis of primary and secondary sources relating to the South
African minibus taxi industry. This is supplemented by a total of 54 semi-structured
qualitative personal interviews, telephonic interviews and email discussions with role
players directly or indirectly involved in the South African minibus taxi industry.
In analysing the TRP policy, a stages approach has been followed in which every stage
(i.e. the identification of the problem, setting up the agenda, formulation, adoption, and
implementation) of the policy making process was analysed in an attempt to establish the
underlying problems with the policy. In addition, some theoretical frameworks have been
utilised in the analysis of the various stages with regard to the TRP policy. Institutional
statism has been useful for analysing the formulation of the policy, while the so-called topdown
and bottom-up approaches were helpful for an analysis of the implementation of the
policy. Furthermore, this study also used the criteria for successful implementation,
namely the so-called 5-C protocol (i.e. content, context, capacity, commitment, and clients
and coalitions).
The first key insight of this study is the fact that the government targeted the taxi owners
only in its policy without considering the policy’s impact on other role players in the minibus
taxi industry. In addition, there was no consensus between the government and the
industry in terms of how they each identified the problem within the industry. Without
mutual recognition of the problem, the TRP policy was bound to face problems since its
inception. Equally problematic is the one-sided approach by the government in formulating
the policy - no public hearings, for example, has been conducted. This signifies a statist
and top-down approach to policy making, a style that also characterised the
implementation of the policy. Some of the major problems in implementing the policy
include the government’s inability to honour its own deadlines, its lack of funds to
implement the policy (an additional R3.3 billion is required), the fact that its appointed
scrapping agency cannot keep up with the demand for the scrapping of old taxis, its
exclusion of the major players in the taxi industry such as Top Six, and its insensitivity to
the cost of a new vehicle (around R300 000) as well as the provision of a scrapping
allowance of a mere R50 000 payable to taxi owners for their old taxis.
Turning to the content of the TRP policy and the extent to which the government has met
its own goals and objectives (after nine years), it was found that it has not been very
successful in the following areas: meeting the goals of establishing minibus taxi cooperatives
to economically empower the industry and thus to encourage black economic
empowerment; improving working conditions; reducing/eliminating the prevalence of
violence; and, finally, reducing the number of minibus taxis involved in accidents by means
of newer and safer taxis. With regard to the objectives of the policy, the government has
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had a typical ‘mixed level of accomplishment’, since it has succeeded in meeting some
objectives such as moving the industry into the formal economy and thus forcing it to pay
income tax.
In view of the study’s findings, some of the recommendations to address the government’s
failure to adequately implement the policy by 2012 include: more involvement of the
industry in the form of adequate consultation and communication, not only in relation to the
TRP, but every policy pertaining to public transport; avoiding any further delays in
implementing the policy by honouring deadlines; eradicating the incapacity of the
government-appointed scrapping agency; including the minibus taxi industry in the public
subsidy system; and empowering everyone in the industry, especially women, since the
industry is one of the few industries in which women are under-represented to such a large
degree. With regard to policy making in general, it is evident from this study that the
successful implementation of a policy ultimately depends on inclusiveness at every step of
the policy making process, since a one-sided policy process is bound to alienate the
intended target population, leading to ultimate failure, or at least to major obstacles as
highlighted in this study.