Collaboration between MTN South Africa and SANTACO for Transport Modernization and Economic Empowerment Drive

Collaboration between MTN South Africa and SANTACO for Transport Modernization and Economic Empowerment Drive

MTN South Africa Partners with SANTACO to Modernize and Empower the Taxi Industry

In a significant move to modernize South Africa’s transport infrastructure, MTN South Africa has entered into a strategic partnership with the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO). This collaboration aims to digitize the minibus taxi industry, enhancing safety, and empowering small businesses, primarily through digital innovation and enterprise solutions.

The partnership, which initially focuses on Gauteng, South Africa’s economic hub, home to over 35,000 of the country's nearly 190,000 taxis, includes several key elements:

1. Digitizing operations by appointing SANTACO Gauteng as an official reseller of MTN’s mobile data, ICT, fintech, and enterprise connectivity solutions. This move enables taxi operators to access digital tools such as cashless payment systems and Internet-of-Things (IoT) tracking for fleet management and safety enhancements.
2. Enhancing safety through future pilots of IoT tracking technology to improve passenger and driver safety and operational transparency in an industry traditionally informal and cash-based.
3. Empowering small businesses and marginalized communities by supporting taxi operators and SMEs within the industry with digital platforms that broaden economic participation and income diversification. This collaboration aims to build a sustainable business ecosystem benefiting small enterprises linked to the transport sector.
4. Economic inclusion and innovation, leveraging MTN’s fintech and enterprise business solutions to foster communication, innovation, and digital adoption among taxi operators, drivers, and communities, in support of broader goals such as South Africa’s National Development Plan 2030.

By integrating digital connectivity and fintech offerings into the taxi sector, the partnership is transforming a key part of South Africa’s informal economy into a digitized, safer, and economically empowered transport ecosystem.

Nkosi Kumalo, MTN's General Manager for SME, emphasized the scale and potential of the collaboration, while Victor Dlamini, Regional GM for Gauteng, emphasized SANTACO's significance in the South African transport ecosystem. The partnership also aims to improve communication efficiency in the taxi industry and support small and medium-sized enterprises.

This collaboration is a testament to the potential impact on the taxi industry in Gauteng and the broader South African context, as highlighted by Victor Dlamini. The partnership aims to promote innovation and digitalization within the taxi industry, contributing significantly to MTN's customer base through daily commuters, and empowering marginalized communities in South Africa.

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