Commuters and taxi drivers are bracing for higher transport costs after the Atteridgeville Saulsville Taxi Owners Association (ASTOA) announced on the 13th of April 2026, a taxi fare increase, set to take effect on 1 May 2026.
This means passengers travelling between Atteridgeville and Pretoria CBD will now pay R25 instead of R20, and local routes within the township will increase from R12 to R15. This decision came from rising fuel costs that operators said are making it hard to sustain their businesses.
According to the ASTOA, the increase in fares is due to a sharp surge in global oil prices linked to the war between the United States of America and Iran. These developments have driven up fuel and other operational costs.
In an official statement, ASTOA said the decision was unavoidable. “We have absorbed the initial shocks of the past weeks, but the outbreak of the US-Iran war has made fuel prices unpredictable and unsustainable.
“Our operating costs, fuel, lubricants, and spare parts transport have doubled overnight,” the association said.
According to commuters, the increase will already have an immediate impact on tight budgets. A daily return trip will now cost R50 from R40. Many commuters said the rising costs will become unsustainable.
“We will not be able to afford these prices; we can barely afford the current fare prices. This is not fair,” said Prince Nkosi a commuter in Atteridgeville.
Taxi drivers said they are also under strain, as higher fuel prices continue to eat away at their earnings
“We no longer make the same money as before, and the price of fuel is so high that a litre now costs the same as two passengers’ fares.
“We are now working for petrol and not for our own pockets,” said Given Mabasa, a taxi driver in Atteridgeville.
The ASTOA said the fare increase is not to make a profit but to ensure the survival of operators.
“Increasing the Atteridgeville-to-Town fare from R20 to R25 represents a 25% rise, while the local fare moving to R15 ensures that short-distance drivers can still afford to fill their tanks.
“We urge commuters to understand that this is not profiteering, but survival,” the association said.
The association also said future fare adjustments will depend on the stability of fuel prices in the coming months, warning that continued instability could place more strain on the sector.
Both commuters and drivers are expected to be affected by the fare increase, which takes effect next month.