Addressing Heat-Health Risks in South Africa’s Minibus Taxi Sector and Assessing Heat-health Perceptions
The impact of rising temperatures is increasingly affecting the most vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and those living with disabilities. Unfortunately, these groups often lack access to essential resources and interventions that could protect them from heat-related health risks like dehydration, heat stroke, and exhaustion.
A recent study conducted by the South African Medical Research Council’s (SAMRC) Environment and Health Research Unit (E&HRU), specifically the Climate Change and Health Programme team, has brought new attention to the growing risks posed by extreme heat exposure in one of South Africa’s most widely used transportation systems—the minibus taxi sector.
The study, titled “Heat Exposure and Health Risks in the Minibus Taxi Sector,” highlights the serious concerns surrounding heat exposure for both drivers and passengers.
Partnering with the National Treasury Cities Support Programme, the World Bank’s City Resilience Programme, the State Secretariat of Economic Affairs of Switzerland, and a local minibus taxi group in Chesterville, the SAMRC study sought to answer critical questions:
- Are taxi drivers and commuters exposed to extreme heat during taxi journeys?
- What are the characteristics of this heat exposure within taxis?
- How does the heat inside taxis compare to outside conditions?
The findings showed that temperatures inside minibus taxis were recorded at up to 39°C, posing significant health risks.
“With drivers spending more than 11 hours a day in these vehicles, and over 16 million South Africans relying on minibus taxis as their primary mode of transport, the situation calls for immediate intervention. Current infrastructure, including taxi ranks, lacks adequate shade and access to drinkable water, exacerbating the problem,” says Professor Caradee Wright, Chief Specialist Scientist at the SAMRC and head of the Programme.
After the collection of data, the team has recommended that the taxi engine’s position should be re-thought; high temperatures in minibus taxis can be combatted by darkening windows or tinting them to limit sunlight into the vehicles; and fans should be placed strategically in the minibus taxis. The team also hopes to build on this study in future with a larger sample size and increase stakeholder engagement through distribution of awareness materials such as posters and flyers.
Similarly, the SAMRC undertook a recent study to assess the impact of heat-related health effects experienced by the transport sector – specifically minibus taxi users – within the City of Tshwane (CoT) and in partnership with the City of Tshwane (CoT) and the Chesterville Taxi Association (CTA). Of particular interest were the perceptions of users of minibus taxis. Both the responses and experiences of heat-health related impacts such as heat exhaustion, and the general feeling of ‘being hot’ informed Professor Caradee Wright and her team in producing possible effective strategies to combat the negative effects of heat-health related impacts. Publication of the study is set to occur soon in the South African Journal of Science (SAJS).
The study, funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the SAMRC, is entitled: “Assessing heat-related health perceptions in the minibus taxi industry in Tshwane.” Lead and contributing authors included Professor Caradee Wright, Drs Thandi Kapwata, Nomfundo Mahlangeni, and Natasha Naidoo, and Ms Candice Webster.
Results showed that taxi users experienced symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, sweating and confusion during the day. Therefore, adaptions to extreme heat and heat-related health impacts are vital to improving the environment, as well as industries such as the minibus transportation sector. The SAMRC’s Climate Change and Health Programme team thank the City of Tshwane (CoT), the Chesterville Taxi Association (CTA) and the participants, the World Bank, the National Research Foundation as well as Castle Gate Mall, in addition to the National Treasury Cities Support Programme climate resilience pillar, for their partnership in these studies. As an organisation, the SAMRC is committed to addressing these challenges to help protect the health of millions of South Africans – in collaboration with various local and international key stakeholders.
For more information:
- Ms Lavinia Engelbrecht
Senior External Affairs Officer, The World Bank
Email: lengelbrecht@worldbankgroup.org
X: @WorldBankAfrica
Facebook: World Bank Africa - Ms Boitumelo Modikoe
Environmental Health Practioner: Awareness Training and Liaison, City of Tshwane
Email: tumimak@tshwane.gov.za
X: @CityTshwane
Facebook: The City of Tshwane - Prof Caradee Wright
Chief Specialist Scientist: Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council
Email: caradee.wright@mrc.ac.za
X: @MRCza
Facebook: SA Medical Research Council