Plans to use taxpayer money to give taxi industry better vehicles in South Africa

The South African government's plan to provide electric vehicles to the minibus taxi industry through the Taxi Recapitalisation Grant has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that the move is a costly indulgence. The industry, which generates billions of rand in revenue each year, has historically paid little to no tax, sparking calls for reform. As the government seeks to address tax evasion and under-declaring, the electric vehicle initiative may be a step towards increasing revenue and improving compliance.