‘We had no choice’: Phoenix taxi owners raise fares as fuel costs bite

For nearly four years, Phoenix taxi operators absorbed rising fuel costs without passing them on to commuters. But with inflation soaring and the price of petrol and diesel becoming “unbearable”, they say they have been left with no option.

The increase is not limited to Phoenix. Across KwaZulu‑Natal, taxi operators have been forced to raise fares as fuel costs continue to climb, with many warning that they can no longer absorb the escalating expenses.

From Monday, the Phoenix Taxis Association implemented an average increase of R2 per trip for inner‑circle and local trips to Durban, Gateway and Sibiya.

“It has been almost four years since we increased the fare prices,” said association PRO Prenisha Munsami. “But with the rising cost of petrol and diesel, we had no choice.”

The increase has placed owners in a difficult bind. Faizel Jumat, who runs OB Transport with 15 taxis and 37 employees, said the rising cost of running his business had made the increase unavoidable.