Share

'Scary reality for commuters' - Street mechanic fixes Cape Town taxi on the road

accreditation

Cape Town - A video has surfaced of a man fixing a Cape Town taxi's engine in the middle of a street, for a quick repair on the engine before it heads off for more trips.

The video was uploaded on Twitter by Arrive Alive via Daily Views.

'Skimming the head'

A man claims on the start of the footage that the incident occurred in Station Road, Wynberg in Cape Town. He then walks over to a man sitting on the road who can be seen fixing a mini-bus taxi's engine. Tools and parts are strewn across the road.

It's not known if the man is a mechanic or not or the driver of the taxi, regardless, vehicles should not be fixed on a public road.

The unidentified man says on camera: "We have a mobile mechanic, a street mechanic, wrapping in vales, skimming a (cylinder) head with 40-grit sandpaper."

The two men then walk over to the 'mechanic' and ask, "Is that a high-compression head, boss?", who then responds: "No, it's just the valves."

In the the video you can see the full extent of the street-side repairs as the interior of the taxi is revealed.

                                                                 Image: Arrive Alive / Twitter

The mechanic says it belongs to the white taxi behind them and he will be done by 2pm that same afternoon and have the taxi back on the road, ready to pick up commuters again. The mechanic tells them to take a look inside the vehicle. The front middle seat has been removed and the engine is completely exposed.

The man says: "That is the block where the head (of the engine) is off. This taxi is going to drive (by 2pm apparently) and make money."  



 Have you encountered a similar incident in South Africa?
 Email us


Arrive Alive's Johan Jonck says: "This is the scary reality for many commuters and it emphasizes the importance of an increased focus on roadworthiness. 

"Too often we find reports of fatal crashes blamed on "vehicle failure" and aspects such as tyre blow-outs or brake failure. 

"Effective visible traffic enforcement is required as part of a comprehensive effort to ensure that we can all share the roads safely. Only by doing so can we remove unroadworthy and lawless/reckless road users from our roads."

                                                                    Image: Arrive Alive / Twitter

Basic maintenance of your vehicle 

It is best to leave the servicing of your vehicle in the hands of trained automotive professionals / mechanics. They have the knowledge and tools to diagnose and correct problems and to put you on the road to safe, fuel-efficient driving.

Preventive maintenance by the driver might however also help avoid vehicle break- down. This should be thorough, regular and frequent enough to meet the manufacturer's guidelines and common sense.

Click here for more vehicle maintenance and repair tips.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE