Meet taxi driver James Nkuna
NORTHSIDE - An insightful look into the life of a Joburg taxi driver.
Ensuring that his commuters arrive safely and on time is his first priority. James Nkuna has been a taxi driver for over 10 years and transports commuters to and from various Northside suburbs, Krugersdorp, and the Johannesburg CBD.
The married father of three children is originally from Pretoria and came to Johannesburg in search of employment. “Joburg is known for being the city of gold and full of opportunities.” After searching and finding nothing, he became a taxi driver.
“I saw that I could make a living and be able to support my family because I had a driver’s license and PDP [professional driving permit].”
“I don’t have fixed working hours,” explained Nkuna. “The thing is I have to wake up early to take commuters to work and also I can only knock off after all of them have knocked off and have been delivered to their homes.”
A typical day starts at 4.30am. “Mostly at that time I transport people like security guards and nurses as their shifts at work start early.” According to Nkuna this is the best time to work because there is no traffic on the road and he is able to do a few loads before peak hour traffic begins.
In his 15-seater taxi, if carrying a full load, Nkuna will make R127.50. Each commuter pays R8.50.
Nkuna does not own the vehicle, and the taxi owner expects him to bring in R800 a day, which he says is not very easy to achieve. “We are in a business of who is there first, and there are too many taxis on the road.”
Nkuna must ensure the taxi has petrol and is clean, and this he must ensure by using the money he takes in during the day, and must still come out with R800. In addition to this, when he arrives at the taxi rank he must pay a marshal fee for every load.
