A striking gender divide in transport choices is highlighted by the latest Gauteng-City Region Observatory’s Quality of Life survey: women are more reliant on minibus taxis than men, and men are more likely to drive cars as their main mode of transport.

Of the more than 3,700 people interviewed, 42% of the women said they primarily travelled by minibus taxi compared with 33% of men; whereas 32% of men said driving was their main way of getting around, against just 22% of women.

Women are also more likely to be passengers in private cars than men. Passengers include people getting a ride with someone they know or paying for a ride in a private car, but excludes e-hailing and meter taxis.

The 2017/18 survey showed that 51% of women relied on minibus taxis, while only 16% drove cars. There has also been an increase in men driving cars – only 27% were driving in 2017.