Dorothea Mantzel and Bernd Schulz. Francolin Illustrated School Dictionary for Southern Africa.

Abstract

It was a phone-in programme on a local radio station, dealing with the overcharging of tourists who use taxis. The deejay was completely upset, interrupting the CD she was playing. How could a trip which cost her R15 cost a tourist R300? Eventually a taxi operator called in to cut through all the nonsense. It was about misunderstanding the difference between a taxi and a minibus taxi. Using the former means that you pay per kilometre, irrespective of the number of people who get into the taxi, to a destination you decide. Using the latter implies that you pay a fixed cost per person and the drop-off points are predetermined for you along a specific route. And there is little difference in cost for the trip if the minibus taxi were carrying 20 people.