A taxi owner’s life during lockdown

Thamsanqa Moya left a promising teaching career in 1995 to venture into the volatile, but lucrative, minibus taxi industry.

His decision was prompted by inheriting the business run by his late father, Jethro “Four Men” Moya, a successful taxi owner from Zola, Soweto, who was respected by customers, friends and rivals alike for the efficient, ethical way he managed and expanded his venture.

Today Moya junior – who is the chairperson of the Soweto-based Meadowlands-Dube-Noord Taxi Association – owns a number of minibus taxis covering local trips between Meadowlands and Johannesburg.

The 52-year-old is also a national executive member of the Gauteng National Taxi Alliance.

He says taxis were a natural choice.

“I watched my father becoming a success story among his peers and that made me develop a strong love for the industry, even while I was still a teacher. In fact, while I was still teaching, I bought my first taxi because my old man urged me to do so,” he recalls.

The taxi industry – like many other sectors – has been severely affected by the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown restrictions, which limit its hours of operation and the number of passengers it can transport per trip (no more than seven in a 15-seater vehicle, according to social-distancing requirements).

However, Moya says that while he’s trying to balance both the profit and passenger care elements of his business, he’s aware that the current restrictions are necessary to prevent the spread of the virus.

“The taxi business is my life and I’m speaking for many others as well. It’s tough out there at the moment, but we have to understand that we’re all in this coronavirus battle together as a nation,” he says.

With the lockdown entering its fourth week, following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s extension of it until April 30, Moya says many taxi businesses are running at a loss.

And while he hopes to see the situation return to normal as soon as possible, he knows this will only happen if all South Africans observe the lockdown regulations by staying at home.

“This is the time for all of us in the taxi business and other sectors affected by the current situation to be strong and act responsibly. We can replace money, but not people’s lives,” he says, adding that the industry has faced other challenges in the past, like the rise of petrol prices, which have seen passenger fares increase. These obstacles were eventually overcome.

“Difficult times come and go,” he says.

Away from work, Moya is also passionate about soccer.

While he was still teaching technical subjects at Winnie Ngwekazi Higher Primary in Pimville, Soweto, he played for former Coloured Passmore-led Giant Blackpool, alongside players such as Geelbooi Masango, Fannie Madida, Gavin Lane and the late Andrew Ramsden in the then National Professional Soccer League, which became the National Soccer League in 1986.

The lockdown has not only allowed him to spend more time with his wife Thabasile and their six children, but to enjoy watching repeats of momentous football games.

He’s a big fan of defending league champions Mamelodi Sundowns and hopes this prolonged break will enable the team to return with fresh legs and renewed determination to challenge log leaders Kaizer Chiefs.

Get in touch  City Press

+27 11 713 9001 news@citypress.co.za Media Park, 69 Kingsway Road, Auckland Park

Rise above the clutter | Choose your news | City Press in your inbox

City Press is an agenda-setting South African news brand that publishes across platforms. Its flagship print edition is distributed on a Sunday.