The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has been announced as an official Association Partner for the Smarter Mobility Africa (SMA) summit 2025, taking place from 30 September to 3 October 2025 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
This strategic partnership positions SANTACO at the forefront of continental discussions on smarter mobility solutions, with a particular focus on advancing public transport and accelerating the transition to new energy vehicles (NEVs) across South Africa and the broader African continent.
As the largest mover of people in South Africa, the taxi industry plays a pivotal role in the country’s transport ecosystem. SANTACO’s participation in SMA 2025 underscores the organisation’s commitment to mobility leadership, industry transformation, and innovative transport solutions that serve millions of South Africans daily.
Leading the Conversation on Smarter Mobility
SANTACO President Motlhabane Abnar Tsebe will deliver a keynote address on 1 October 2025, representing the voice of the public transport sector and outlining the organisation’s vision for a cleaner, more efficient mobility future. President Tsebe will also participate in key roundtable discussions alongside government officials, NEV experts, and global mobility innovators.
Secretary General Daki Qumbu will join President Tsebe as part of SANTACO’s VIP delegation, engaging with stakeholders to build trust and cooperation between government, operators, and the private sector.
Driving Policy and Innovation
The partnership enables SANTACO to actively influence NEV policy frameworks and funding mechanisms, ensuring that the taxi industry’s unique needs and challenges are considered in South Africa’s transition to sustainable transport. This collaborative approach is essential for creating inclusive mobility solutions that work for all South Africans.
Speaking about the industry’s transformation potential, President Tsebe emphasised the importance of changing perceptions through action. “If we formalise, professionalise, and invest in our people,” he says, “then this industry can finally be seen for what it already is: the backbone of South Africa’s mobility system.”
“We are proud to welcome SANTACO as our Association Partner for SMA 2025,” said Olivia Modisakeng, Event Manager. “Their leadership in transforming public transport is essential to building an inclusive and sustainable mobility future for Africa.”
About the Partnership
SANTACO’s involvement in SMA 2025 demonstrates the organisation’s progressive stance on cleaner mobility and infrastructure development. The partnership creates opportunities for meaningful dialogue between industry leaders, policymakers, and technology innovators, fostering the collaborative relationships necessary to drive meaningful change in Africa’s transport sector.
The Smarter Mobility Africa summit 2025 brings together key stakeholders from across the continent to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities in mobility, with SANTACO’s participation ensuring that the voice of South Africa’s public transport sector remains central to these critical conversations.
Africa Fact: The Nigerian city of Ile-Ife was paved in 1000 AD on the orders of a female ruler with decorations that originated in Ancient America. Naturally, no-one wants to explain how this took place approximately 500 years before the time of Christopher Columbus!
Mindless Bobcat
Canada: You have two cows. But who cares about beef when you\’ve got Poutine.
Murmur
Van der Merwe goes to Paris to watch the Boks take on the Brits at the world cup.
Whilst in Paris, he walks around, gaping and staring at everything – so much so that he walks smack bang into a fire hydrant which hits him so hard on the family jewels that he has to be rushed to hospital where the doctors tell him they have to remove his testicles.
Van goes berserk, he bites and snarls at every one and he won\’t let anybody within 10 metres of him. Eventually they find a South African doctor in the hospital and get him to talk to Van.
He walks up to Van and tells him \”Hey Van, die ouens moet jou knaters uithaal.\”
Van replies \”O, okay, ek dog die bliksems wil my test tickets vat.\”