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Minibus taxis as a means of transport for wheelchair users : a co-operative inquiry in a low-income peri-urban setting in the Western Cape, South Africa
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Fredericks, Jerome Peter |
| author2 | Visagie, Surona |
| author_browse | Fredericks, Jerome Peter Visagie, Surona |
| author_facet | Visagie, Surona Fredericks, Jerome Peter |
| author_sort | Fredericks, Jerome Peter |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
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Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132183 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:40:53.839Z |
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| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
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| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132183 Minibus taxis as a means of transport for wheelchair users : a co-operative inquiry in a low-income peri-urban setting in the Western Cape, South Africa Fredericks, Jerome Peter Visagie, Surona Van Niekerk, Lana Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Occupational Therapy. People with disabilities -- Transportation -- Western Cape (South Africa) People with disabilities -- Mobility -- Western Cape (South Africa) People with disabilities -- Orientation and mobility -- Western Cape (South Africa) Community mobility -- Western Cape (South Africa) UCTD Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Fredericks, J. P. 2025. Minibus taxis as a means of transport for wheelchair users: A co-operative inquiry in a low-income peri-urban setting in the Western Cape, South Africa. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/047f3261-ea3d-440e-9124-1c7550f78cd9 ENGLISH SUMMARY: Introduction: A major concern in South Africa is that although international and national policies promote universal access and the use of public transportation for persons with disabilities, including wheelchair users, these users still face structural, financial and attitudinal barriers when making use of public transport. The lack of accessible public transport excludes wheelchair users from equitable access to resources such as education, employment, healthcare, and social and legal support systems, and they consequently experience disproportionately high rates of poverty and lack of opportunities. Aim: To develop strategies to enhance the accessibility of minibus taxi services for wheelchair users in the town of Paarl. Objectives: • Explore the current ways in which wheelchair users are accessing minibus taxis in Paarl. • Collaboratively develop strategies to improve on current taxi access practices in Paarl. • Implement, evaluate and refine devised strategies for Paarl using iterative action-reflectioncycles. • Finalise and describe the developed strategies that might serve as model to inform the widerSouth Africa. • A scoping review on the barriers and facilitators wheelchair users face when using minibustaxi services in African countries. Methods: A cooperative inquiry methodology was used. The inquiry group consisted of wheelchair users (9), their care givers (8), taxi drivers (7) and stakeholders (4). Data collection comprised 16 sessions, alternating between action and reflection. Attention was given to practical arrangements such a meeting times and transport, ensuring all participants understood the purpose, process and their roles and responsibilities, bonding and forming a cohesive group. Inductive thematic analysis of data of all the phases was done. Findings: The scoping review and current study showed that minibus taxi access for wheelchair users was hampered by limited knowledge, as well as negative attitudes, and actions, barriers in the natural, manmade and mechanical environmental, and health and safety concerns. This led to decreased community participation and quality of life among wheelchair users. The findings showed how difficult an everyday activity like moving around in the community were for wheelchair users, and how that limited their occupational participation. Experience-based suggestions for improving accessibility of minibus taxis for wheelchair users were identified under five themes. Theme 1: `The ideal communication platform`, explains the need and purpose of databases of wheelchair users and minibus taxi drivers as well as the use of social media as a communication platform. Theme 2, `Fair economical fares` focusses on service affordability and payment options. Theme 3, `Facilitating ideal behaviour patterns` was about knowledge, attitudes and the development of mutual respect. Theme 4, `Customised minibus taxis` presents the need for a fleet of minibus taxis with different specifications that can address different needs of wheelchair users. Theme 5, `Minibus taxis service delivery considerations` focusses on practical strategies such as home pickups and drop offs. Finally, a safe and respectful way of doing transfers into and out of the minibus taxi was developed and is available on you tube video. Discussion: It is postulated that Socio-Technical Transition Theory using a multi-level perspective approach would provide a feasible framework to implement the suggested strategies. Socio-Technical Transition Theory and multi-level perspectives provides a framework to manage the dynamics and complexities of transitions, for which solutions require structural changes in key areas of society. The regime (ways of doing and acting) hampered access to minibus taxis for wheelchair users, because of a landscape shaped by ableism, socio economic disempowerment, lack of pollical will, and crime. Shifts are needed in the regime and landscape. These shifts can be facilitated through small scale niche interventions based on current study findings. Shifts must happen at community and local government levels as well as in the market (minibus taxi services for wheelchair user) and third sector (taxi unions). Some strategies will be unsuccessful and discarded. Others will show feasibility, build momentum, create windows of opportunity, put pressure on regimes and might ultimately be integrated into regimes as the values and norms of actors’ change. Conclusion: The study contributed to the literature and society through suggesting strategies and a possible implementation framework that can enhance accessibility of minibus taxi services for wheelchair users in peri-urban areas in African countries. This in turn will assist wheelchair users to access their communities and participate in social, civic and economic life. Contribution: The barriers preventing wheelchair users access to minibus taxi services were identified and it is hopeful implementation of the strategies which were collectively developed minibus taxi services for wheelchair users can be enhanced in the town of Paarl and other peri urban settings where minibus taxis operate. (Key words: wheelchair users, minibus taxis, accessibility, cooperative enquiry, socio technical transition) AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inleiding: 'n Groot bekommernis in Suid-Afrika is dat alhoewel internasionale en nasionale beleide universele toegang en die gebruik van publieke vervoer vir persone met gestremdhede, insluitend rolstoelgebruikers bevorder, ondervind hierdie verbruikers steeds strukturele, finansiele en houdings hindernisse wanneer hulle van openbare vervoer gebruik maak. Die gebrek aan toeganklike publieke vervoer sluit rolstoelgebruikers uit van billike toegang tot bronne soos onderwys, indiensneming, gesondheidsorg en maatskaplike en wetlike ondersteuningstelsels, en hulle ervaar gevolglik buitensporige hoe koerse van armoede en gebrek aan geleenthede. Doel: Om strategiee te ontwikkel om die toeganklikheid van minibustaxi dienste vir rolstoelgebruikers in die dorp Paarl te verbeter. Doelwitte: • Verken die huidige maniere hoe rolstoelgebruikers toegang tot minibustaxi's in die Paarl kry. • Ontwikkel saam strategiee om die huidige taxitoegangpraktyke in die Paarl te verbeter. • Implementeer, evalueer en verfyn ontwerpte strategiee vir Paarl deur iteratiewe aksie-refleksie-siklusse te gebruik. • Finaliseer en beskryf die ontwikkelde strategiee wat as moontlike model kan dien om diebreer Suid-Afrika in te lig. • 'n Omvangsoorsig oor die hindernisse en fasiliteerders wat rolstoelgebruikers in die gesigstaar wanneer hulle minibustaxidienste in Afrikalande gebruik. Metodes: 'n Kooperatiewe ondersoekmetodologie was gebruik. Die ondersoekgroep het bestaan uit rolstoelgebruikers (9), hul versorgers (8), taxibestuurders (7) en belanghebbendes (4). Data-insameling het uit 16 sessies bestaan, wat tussen aksie en refleksie afgewissel het. Aandag was gegee aan praktiese reelings soos vergaderingtye en vervoer, om te verseker dat alle deelnemers die doel, proses en hul rolle en verantwoordelikhede verstaan, bind en om 'n samehangende groep te vorm. Induktiewe tematiese ontleding van data van al die fases was gedoen. Bevindinge: Die omvangsoorsig en huidige studie het getoon dat toegang tot minibustaxi's vir rolstoelgebruikers belemmer was deur beperkte kennis, sowel as negatiewe houdings, en optrede, hindernisse in die natuurlike, mensgemaakte en meganiese omgewing, en gesondheid- en veiligheidskwessies. Dit het gelei tot verminderde gemeenskapsdeelname en lewenskwaliteit onder rolstoelgebruikers. Die bevindinge het gewys hoe moeilik 'n alledaagse aktiwiteit soos rondbeweeg in die gemeenskap vir rolstoelgebruikers was, en hoe dit hul beroepsdeelname beperk het. Ervaringsgebaseerde voorstelle vir die verbetering van toeganklikheid van minibustaxi's vir rolstoelgebruikers was onder vyf temas geidentifiseer. Tema 1: `Die ideale kommunikasieplatform`, verduidelik die behoefte en doel van databasisse van rolstoelgebruikers en minibustaxibestuurders asook die gebruik van sosiale media as kommunikasieplatform. Tema 2, `Billike ekonomiese tariewe` fokus op diensbekostigbaarheid en betaalopsies. Tema 3, `Fasilitering van ideale gedragspatrone` het gegaan oor kennis, houdings en die ontwikkeling van wedersydse respek. Tema 4, `Aangepasde minibustaxi's` bied die behoefte aan vir 'n vloot van minibustaxi's met verskillende spesifikasies wat verskillende behoeftes van rolstoelgebruikers kan aanspreek. Tema 5, `Minibustaxi's diensleweringsoorwegings` fokus op praktiese strategiee soos oplaai en aflaai by die huis. Ten slotte, 'n veilige en respekvolle manier om oorplasings in en uit die minibustaxi te doen was ontwikkel en is beskikbaar op ‘n “YouTube-video”. Bespreking: Daar word gepostuleer dat sosio-tegniese oorgangsteorie wat 'n multi-vlakperspektiefbenadering gebruik, 'n haalbare raamwerk sal bied om die voorgestelde strategiee te implementeer. Sosio-tegniese oorgangsteorie en multi-vlakperspektiewe bied 'n raamwerk om die dinamika en kompleksiteite van oorgange te bestuur, waarvoor oplossings strukturele veranderinge, in sleutelareas van die samelewing vereis. Die regime (maniere van doen en optrede) het toegang tot minibustaxi's vir rolstoelgebruikers belemmer as gevolg van 'n landskap wat gevorm is deur bekwaamheid, sosio-ekonomiese ontmagtiging, gebrek aan politieke wil en misdaad. Verskuiwings is nodig in die regime en landskap. Hierdie verskuiwings kan gefasiliteer word deur kleinskaalse nisintervensies gebaseer op huidige studiebevindinge. Verskuiwings moet plaasvind op gemeenskappe- en plaaslike regeringsvlakke sowel as in die mark (minibustaxi dienste vir rolstoelgebruikers) en derde sektor (taxi-vakbonde). Sommige strategiee sal onsuksesvol wees en weggegooi word. Ander sal haalbaarheid toon, momentum bou, geleentheidsvensters skep, druk op regimes plaas en kan uiteindelik in regimes geintegreer word namate die waardes en norme van akteurs se verandering verander. Gevolgtrekking: Die studie het bygedra tot die literatuur en die samelewing deur strategiee en 'n moontlike implementeringsraamwerk voor te stel wat toeganklikheid van minibustaxi dienste vir rolstoelgebruikers in buitestedelike gebiede in Afrikalande kan verbeter. Dit sal op sy beurt rolstoelgebruikers help om toegang tot hul gemeenskappe te kry en aan die sosiale, burgerlike en ekonomiese lewe deel te neem. Bydrae: Die hindernisse wat rolstoelgebruikers toegang tot minibustaxi dienste verhinder, was geidentifiseer en dit is hoopvol dat die implementering van die strategiee wat gesamentlik ontwikkel was, minibustaxi dienste vir rolstoelgebruikers kan verbeter in die dorp Paarl en ander buitestedelike omgewings waar minibustaxi's bedryf word. Doctoral 2025-05-29T07:53:27Z 2025-05-29T07:53:27Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132183 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xvii, 171 pages : illustrations, maps, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | People with disabilities -- Transportation -- Western Cape (South Africa) People with disabilities -- Mobility -- Western Cape (South Africa) People with disabilities -- Orientation and mobility -- Western Cape (South Africa) Community mobility -- Western Cape (South Africa) UCTD Fredericks, Jerome Peter Minibus taxis as a means of transport for wheelchair users : a co-operative inquiry in a low-income peri-urban setting in the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title | Minibus taxis as a means of transport for wheelchair users : a co-operative inquiry in a low-income peri-urban setting in the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_full | Minibus taxis as a means of transport for wheelchair users : a co-operative inquiry in a low-income peri-urban setting in the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Minibus taxis as a means of transport for wheelchair users : a co-operative inquiry in a low-income peri-urban setting in the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Minibus taxis as a means of transport for wheelchair users : a co-operative inquiry in a low-income peri-urban setting in the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_short | Minibus taxis as a means of transport for wheelchair users : a co-operative inquiry in a low-income peri-urban setting in the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_sort | minibus taxis as a means of transport for wheelchair users a co operative inquiry in a low income peri urban setting in the western cape south africa |
| topic | People with disabilities -- Transportation -- Western Cape (South Africa) People with disabilities -- Mobility -- Western Cape (South Africa) People with disabilities -- Orientation and mobility -- Western Cape (South Africa) Community mobility -- Western Cape (South Africa) UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132183 |
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