Cosmos and Taxis

We suffer from a naive belief in the power of action, planning and purpose. We forget that almost everything in our experience acts outside of our control.

Photo by Fotis Fotopoulos on Unsplash

Do less, not more! This is not a common rallying cry. It does not fire up the faithful. It does not inspire the masses to greater exertions. But it is a solution to our many problems, in South Africa and in the world.

We suffer from a naive belief in the power of action, planning and purpose. We forget that almost everything in our experience acts outside of our control. From evolution to weather (and climate), to life itself, it is all a spontaneous mystery that defies the conceit of our control.

If life was predictable, we would not need insurance, or stock markets, or hospitals. If planning worked, we would not have the poor, the police, or politicians. The purpose of politicians seems to be to produce a vast array of laws, generally in contradiction of nature (human and otherwise), to compensate for their complete inability to plan in a chaotic world. Because nature so often ignores their pompous platitudes, they must aim their laws at the more pliable population whom they can punish for non-compliance. One predictable consequence is that politicians will generally become richer as the populations they manage become poorer.

Cosmos

Imagine that a well-meaning politician perhaps from the Department of Agriculture, or Forestry, or Rural Development, or Public Works, or Tourism, or even the Department of Planning, decided that they would lift the national spirit by arranging a magnificent flower display throughout the country, along the highways and byways, in the townships and suburbs. It seemed to work for the Chelsea Flower Show, so why not. It was perfect - non-political, non-racial, doable. After all, who doesn’t love flowers?

Various committees and research groups would be set up, inter-departmental cooperation teams established, budgets purloined. The president would announce an optimistic deadline 18 months hence. Although the budget was in the billions, almost no-one dared to question the project. It would provide employment for thousands of the unemployed. It was all about youth and beauty and kindness and love.

When someone pointed out that Cosmos flowers bloom spontaneously all over the country in April/May and November at no cost to anyone, and that wildflowers bloom in huge concentrations on the West Coast and Namibia every year without any human intervention, they were ignored. Too many tenders had already been awarded; too many careers linked to the project.

Taxis

The South African taxi industry is the bastard child of incompetent state legislators, from both regimes. The industry effectively started in 1977 when the apartheid government allowed for “motor cars” to carry up to nine people (including the driver), creating a loophole for the emergence of the minibus-taxi.

The Law of Unintended Consequences kicked in. The demand for transport in newly established townships fueled rapid growth, with many taxis operating illegally due to the difficulty in obtaining permits. There was widespread conflict over routes and resources. Violent taxi cartels formed, fueling serious violence. Taxis were seen to be above standard traffic rules, leading to many horrific accidents.

All the basic laws of economics are turned on their heads. There is no free market in transport in South Africa. To register a taxi business in South Africa, first, start a company. Then register your company with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC). Next, join a taxi association in your province, as they are crucial for obtaining a route license. You must also apply for a public operating license from the provincial transport department, ensure all drivers have a valid Professional Driving Permit (PDP), and secure comprehensive and public liability insurance. Finally, register with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) for tax purposes.

If you don’t like your local taxi association, you could register your own taxi association. You typically need an application form, your association’s constitution and code of conduct, an affidavit from an office bearer, proof of the members’ valid permits and vehicles, details of ranks, and supporting letters from the municipality. The specific requirements vary by province, so you must contact your provincial regulatory entity or relevant transport authority for precise details and application forms. This doesn’t include the many bodyguards you will need to hire if you take on the existing taxi associations, nor the many bribes to officials required.

Imagine if Elon Musk decided to introduce Robotaxis in South Africa. It would make launching a Starship look like child’s play, and significantly less dangerous. The rioting would probably go on for months. Each robotaxi would require more armaments than a tank. On the bright side, I don’t think the current cartels know how to kill an AI driver, although their passengers would be vulnerable.

The planning, the careful legislation, the consultations by government all count for nothing. The Taxi industry in South Africa is a monster completely outside the control of the state, to the great sorrow, detriment and cost of ordinary commuters. It will take a spontaneous grassroots revolution to fix this blight on our society, hopefully outside the reach of government and politicians.

Cosmos and taxis

Cosmos and Taxis takes its name and inspiration from the Greek terms that F. A. Hayek famously invoked to connote the distinction between spontaneous orders and consciously planned orders.

It honours Hayek’s cosmos (grown order) and taxis (made order). And, neatly describes two very uniquely South African phenomena.

Trevor Watkins is the founder of the Individualist Movement, the author of two books, and an Associate of the Free Market Foundation. He publishes on a blog at libertarian.org.za.