WeeklySA_AdminVOICE: Women operating in both sectors launch new entity to strengthen women’s participation, leadership and ownership across South Africa’s traditionally male-dominated taxi, transport and logistics industries…
By Phumela Ngomane
Women entrepreneurs operating in South Africa’s taxi, transport and logistics industries are seeking a stronger collective voice through the newly launched South Africa Local and Long Distance Taxi and Bus Organisation (SALLDTBO) Women in Business.
The organisation was officially unveiled during a two-day gathering in Durban on Wednesday and yesterday, marking a significant step towards improving the visibility, participation and economic empowerment of women in sectors historically dominated by men.
Led by chairperson Joy Jacobs and general secretary Maria “Mantuli” Ntuli, the platform aims to bring women together to exchange knowledge, build business networks and increase their involvement in industry decision-making.
SALLDTBO Women in Business wants women to be recognised not merely as supporting participants in the transport economy, but as owners, operators, directors, innovators and leaders capable of shaping its future.
The organisation’s launch also highlights the often-overlooked contribution women make to an industry that moves millions of South Africans between their homes, workplaces, schools, universities, hospitals and economic centres every day.
Across the sector, women manage fleets, oversee administration, support drivers, make strategic business decisions and create employment. However, their roles have not always been adequately reflected in public discussions about the taxi and wider transport industries.
Through its new platform, SALLDTBO Women in Business plans to create opportunities for women to connect, share their experiences and strengthen their enterprises. Mentorship and cooperation between established operators and younger entrepreneurs are expected to form an important part of its work. Jacobs brings to the organisation a vision centred on greater visibility, collaboration and meaningful participation by women throughout transport and logistics.
Her leadership is expected to help create an environment in which women can develop partnerships, expand their businesses and ensure their voices are included in conversations about the sector’s future. Ntuli, meanwhile, contributes 26 years of experience in the taxi industry.
A director of Phumelelani Transport Service, she has fleet operations registered through the Johannesburg Pretoria Mabopane Taxi Association and the Pretoria Mabopane Taxi Association.
Her experience spans local and long-distance operations and gives the organisation valuable institutional knowledge about the changing transport environment, commuters’ needs and the pressures faced by operators. Ntuli’s career also demonstrates that women have long played important roles within the taxi business, even when their contributions have received limited recognition.
SALLDTBO Women in Business believes experienced operators such as Ntuli can help younger women understand the complexities of the sector while developing the confidence and skills needed to establish sustainable enterprises.
The organisation views the taxi industry as far more than a means of moving commuters. It is also an important economic network that creates jobs, supports households, enables other businesses and connects townships and rural communities with cities and commercial centres. Women’s participation in that economy can therefore have an impact extending well beyond individual enterprises. A successful transport business can create employment, transfer skills, support families and build assets that may be passed to future generations.
The launch comes as the transport and logistics landscape is being reshaped by technology, changing customer expectations, new business models and mounting economic pressures. SALLDTBO Women in Business believes women must be closely involved in responding to these changes and identifying new opportunities for growth.
By connecting the institutional knowledge of established operators with the ideas and technological understanding of a younger generation, the organisation hopes to contribute to a more inclusive, innovative and sustainable industry.
Its Durban launch represents the beginning of a broader effort to ensure women are no longer viewed simply as passengers in the transport economy, but as entrepreneurs and decision-makers helping to determine where the industry goes next
