JMPD orders on-the-spot repairs for unroadworthy taxis after roadside intervention

The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to unroadworthy minibus taxis, ordering some drivers to make mechanical repairs at the roadside or face removal of their vehicle, the department said in a recent operation.

What happened

The department carried out an operation last week in which JMPD Chief of Police Patrick Jaca personally intercepted a white Toyota minibus taxi after witnessing a moving violation. Officers found the vehicle loaded with passengers and discovered a completely faulty handbrake, a condition described by the JMPD as a serious safety hazard.

Passengers and immediate action

To prioritise passenger safety, the passengers were promptly and safely offloaded and transferred to an alternative vehicle. Rather than allowing the driver to pay a routine fine and continue, officers grounded the vehicle on the spot and instructed the driver to contact a mechanic and source parts immediately.

Roadside repairs and clearance

Under the supervision of JMPD officers, the taxi’s rear drum brakes, brake shoes and wheel hub assembly were disassembled and repaired at the roadside. The driver also paid an outstanding infringement penalty of R250 at the JMPD Wemmer Traffic office before the vehicle was cleared to move again.

A shift in enforcement

Jaca described the action as a vital turning point for law enforcement. He said:

“For too long, the enforcement of public transport regulations has been treated as a paper exercise or a transactional issue.”

He added:

“Commuters are packed into these vehicles daily, trusting their lives to operators who sometimes neglect basic maintenance.”

Jaca warned that simply issuing a ticket is not enough.

“Simply writing a ticket allows a dangerous rolling coffin to keep driving on our roads,”

he said, and signalled a broader change in how the JMPD will enforce safety standards:

“We are shifting the paradigm.”

New on-the-spot rule and consequences

The JMPD says the new practice will be applied across the city when a safety defect can be fixed immediately:

“If your public transport vehicle is found with a safety defect that can be fixed, you will stop immediately. You will repair it right then and there, or it will not move.”

Officials also said they will not hesitate to remove vehicles from the road and impound them if they violate roadside rules.

Publication details

This report was published on 25 May 2026 at 11:53 am.