Taxi commuters across Durban are expected to pay more for daily travel as several taxi associations prepare to implement fare increases linked to rising fuel prices.
The fare hikes will affect multiple routes across eThekwini, including services operating between the Durban CBD, Umhlanga, Gateway, Inanda and Chatsworth.
The Umhlanga, Durban North and La Lucia Taxi Owners Association confirmed that fare increases will take effect in June. Commuters travelling between the Durban CBD and Umhlanga or Gateway will see fares rise from R22 to R25 per trip.
Association representative Mduduzi Phungula said operators had avoided increasing fares for nearly three years despite mounting operational costs.
He said the continued rise in fuel prices had made the increases unavoidable.
Meanwhile, the Inanda Taxi Owners Association indicated that additional fare increases may be introduced from July as consultations continue among operators.
Spokesperson Samuel Sibisi said discussions were ongoing regarding routes along the M25 corridor, where some associations had already raised fares to around R30.
“We are still struggling to come up with the final price because we know our community,” Sibisi said.
“People who rely on taxis every day to get to work are already struggling. We do not want to increase prices in a way that will place more pressure on commuters.”
The Chatsworth Minibus Association also confirmed fare increases, citing sustained pressure from fuel price hikes.
Association representative Basheer Ismail said operators had initially increased fares by R2, hoping there would not be further fuel increases.
“We had no other choice but to raise it by another R2. Our fares have gone up by R4 over the last two months,” Ismail said.
The increases come after fuel prices surged in May, with petrol rising by R3.27 per litre and diesel increasing by R6.19 per litre.
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources said the adjustments were linked to the self-adjusting slate levy mechanism used to recover under-recoveries incurred by oil companies.
Department spokesperson Robert Maake said higher international oil prices during the review period contributed significantly to the increases, while the rand remained relatively stable against the US dollar.