Durban – Though becoming a taxi operator in South Africa is equated to signing a death warrant owing to the industry’s notoriety for the deadly violence and proliferation of izinkabi (hitmen), women are taking the bull by the horns and increasingly making their mark in the male-dominated sector.
Many women who join the industry do so by default after their husbands have either been assassinated or died of natural causes.
And it was not an exception for three KwaZulu-Natal women who had to step up by ensuring that their husbands’ legacies are carried forward and inherited by generations to come.
“The taxi industry is not for the faint-hearted. But I had no choice after my husband died, as painful as it was, I had to wipe the tears, gather strength and think about the children’s future. The instalment for the vehicles had to be paid every month. My aim was to ensure that although my husband was no longer with us, we remained in the same financial position we were before,” said Joyce Marwanqana.
The mother of four said minding her own business and showing no interest in any leadership structures within the taxi associations was her survival guide.
“The taxi industry remains highly untransformed and it is unfriendly to women. You need other women who will hold your hand. As the only three women who are operators in the Durban Central region, we came together to pour our hearts out on a variety of challenges we were facing,” said Marwaqana, who owns five taxis.
The spiritual bond between Marwanqana, Mavis Ndlela and Joyce Nkosi, who are all in their fifties, subsequently developed into a formidable combination, prompting the trio to establish an upholstery business.
Nkosi, who owns two taxis, said their business, which they named “Howlong”, was conceived last year when the Covid- 19 pandemic hit our shores.
“We were severely hit by Covid-19 protocols because we couldn’t load taxis to full capacity. Some of our vehicles were repossessed by banks. It was a difficult situation. This gave birth to our business Howlong.
“We are encouraging other women not to rest on their laurels. We are asking them how long will they wait and expect things to change on their own”, said the mother of two Nkosi said their upholstery business, which specialises in repairs, had seen substantial growth in less than a year since its formation.
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