Middelburg — Tensions between the Middelburg and District Taxi Association (MDTA) and the Nasaret and District Taxi Association (NDTA) flared on Monday, 19 January 2026, when members of the rival associations confronted one another over disputed taxi routes connecting Rockdale and Extension 24.
This has reignited a long-running legal battle over operating rights. Both associations claim exclusive rights to operate on the contested routes, citing separate court orders and operating licences that appear to contradict one another.
The confrontation, which involved the presence of armed private security personnel, did not escalate into violence. However, the incident left commuters shaken and concerned about their safety.
“I am not at ease because we have seen in the past this kind of confrontation did not end well,” said community member Letty Skosana. “I am worried, should it continue, about our safety as commuters and how we will manage to get to work on time.”
The MDTA did not intend to provoke violence but to follow through on the routes authorised by a recent court ruling. “Unfortunately, our operations were stopped by NDTA members who claimed to have a court order that prohibits us from operating in the area,” said MDTA Chairperson Japhta Mtsweni.
In November 2025, the MDTA secured a court ruling that prevented the NDTA from blocking its members’ access to those routes. The order was issued by the Mpumalanga High Court. It is a provisional order giving the NDTA until 13 August 2026 to show cause why it shouldn’t be made permanent.
The dispute is further complicated by a 2015 Pretoria High Court order that barred the MDTA from operating on the same routes. That ruling also prohibited any form of intimidation, assault, harassment, threats, or violence against NDTA’s employees, members, drivers and passengers.
The order stated that there should be “no interference, blockage, or prevention of any members or drivers of the applicant (NDTA) from operating on the routes, as per the lawfully issued taxi permits of the applicant.”
The order further directed the SAPS to arrest any MDTA members, including SANTACO’s provincial chairperson Fanyana Sibanyoni and members of the provincial management committee and the Enkangala Regional Taxi Council, should they act in defiance of the ruling.
MDTA version of events
Mtsweni said the MDTA became involved in the area in 2015 after being approached by the local municipality when the NDTA was experiencing tensions with the Rockdale and Extension 24 communities. “Our operational license permits us to operate within a 50-kilometer radius, allowing us to serve areas such as KwaZamokuhle and Hendrina via the N11,” he said.
He added that while the MDTA was operating in the area, a dispute arose that required intervention by the Steve Tshwete Municipality, the then MEC of Public Works, Roads and Transport (DPWRT), as well as representatives from the office of the registrar, the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) and the National Taxi Alliance (NTA).
According to Mtsweni, discussions were later held to merge the two associations, but these talks were halted after a court order was issued preventing further engagement.
“We carried on with our operations until 2020, when another court ruling halted our activities in Rockdale and Extension 24,” Mtsweni said. “We took a legal route to challenge that decision, and a new ruling came down on 20 May 2025. What’s noteworthy is that the NDTA didn’t contest this latest order until it was finalised on 21 November 2025, which restored our right to operate on those routes.”
Mtsweni also expressed frustration with the ND, accusing it of refusing to engage with the MDTA despite the latest ruling.
NDTA version of events
NDTA chairperson Themba Mncina said that the MDTA entered the area following rising tensions between the NDTA and the Rockdale and Extension 24 communities, stemming from claims that local taxi operators were being excluded from NDTA membership.
“What started as a simple miscommunication quickly turned into violent protests. In the midst of the ongoing strike, the community sought help from the Middelburg United Long Distance Taxi Association (MULDTA) for commuter transport. However, the local authorities opted to involve the MDTA instead of MULDTA, reasoning that the long-distance association had no authority in the area,” he elaborated.
Mncina said the arrangement was intended to be temporary until the dispute was resolved, but the MDTA refused to withdraw once tensions subsided. “This forced us to seek a court order to prevent the MDTA from operating on those routes, thereby protecting our members and drivers from any potential threats or disruptions,” he said.
Mncina pointed out that the MDTA blatantly disregarded the court order, which only intensified the conflict and ultimately led to violent confrontations and loss of a life. In August 2021, a taxi driver was fatally shot near Hlalamnandi following a protest in which the N11 was blocked. In April 2021, three people were shot during clashes between the two associations, while two taxis were torched and 28 others damaged.
Following the incidents, then MEC for Public Works, Roads, and Transport Mohita Latchminarain, suspended the operating licenses and permits of the two associations after mediation efforts failed. The suspension temporarily barred both groups from operating on the disputed routes.
While the MDTA maintains firmly that its court order supersedes that of NDTA, the NDTA insists that their ruling is permanent and needs to be upheld.
To clarify this confusing situation, we reached out to legal expert Jonas “JB” Sibanyoni for his insights on both court orders. “Actually, these two court orders can coexist, as they address distinct situations. The first order prohibits MDTA from harassing or intimidating NDTA members, while the second allows MDTA to continue using the routes without obstruction. There’s really no conflict between them,” Sibanyoni explained.
Steve Tshwete Municipality held an urgent meeting on Thursday 29 January 2026, led by MMC for Public Safety Joseph Ngobeni, bringing together both associations and their legal representatives.
Ngobeni said the municipality was concerned about public safety amid the dispute over conflicting court orders. “Our aim isn’t to interfere with your operations or favour one side over the other. However, we are genuinely worried about public safety. If this dispute persists, it could jeopardise the lives of many,” he said.
Both attorneys for associations shared their interpretations of the court rulings.
NDTA’s attorney asserted that the court order is valid and permanent, making it impossible to comply with the MDTA’s decree without violating the existing ruling. NDTA’s legal representative She further pointed out that instead of resolving the issue, MDTA sought a separate court order to oppose theirs.
She said MDTA should wait until the matter is finalised in court order on 13 August 2026.
On the other hand, MDTA’s legal representativeattorney pointed out that the two orders are indeed valid because they pertain to different routes. He said MDTA is authorised to operate between Middelburg town, Extension 24 and Rockdale, while NDTA order applies to Hlalamnandi and Nasaret.
The lawyer further asserted that MDTA’s order is legitimate, protected, and enforceable. He expressed his intention to file for contempt of court if law enforcement fails to intervene when his client is hindered from operating.
