Devi | Coffins on wheels | 21 April 2024

Every year thousands of South Africans are injured, some fatally, in taxi accidents.

In the absence of an effective transport system, millions of South Africans rely on minibus taxis to take them places. 

But what if the taxi you get onto next, was never meant to be a taxi? What if it’s one of the thousands of converted panel vans that were sold as people transporters? 

One thing’s for sure, an accident in one of these reduces your chances of survival substantially.

We investigate how these Toyota panel vans got on the road and why there are still hundreds carrying people around.