The Gauteng taxi industry has warned of a potential protest march within seven days if unresolved grievances against transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela are not addressed.

The Gauteng National Taxi Alliance (GNTA) and Santaco Gauteng accused the MEC of bypassing established leadership structures by engaging directly with taxi associations, which they claim has broken long-standing protocols.

The industry criticized changes to the operating licence collection process, alleging that operators are now required to collect licences from central offices instead of their regional applications, incurring additional costs.

They demanded the suspension of licence cancellations linked to the current process, respect for recognized leadership structures, and engagement with provincial taxi leaders to resolve licence backlogs.Letters requesting meetings with Diale-Tlabela and Premier Panyaza Lesufi went unanswered, prompting the threat of a protest.

Diale-Tlabela denied the relationship had collapsed, stating the department continues quarterly meetings with industry leaders and defends the licence verification process as a measure against fraud and corruption.Operators are urged to collect licences by August 14 to avoid cancellation.The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between the taxi industry and government officials over governance and operational protocols.