'Hai, Man!... We Don't Have Democracy'! The Transport Crisis and Working-Class De-Citizenship in South Africa: Khayelitsha, Cape Town.

The article examines the crisis of public transport in Cape Town, South Africa, focusing on Khayelitsha, the city's largest Black township, and how deteriorating transport conditions—primarily involving mini-bus taxis—extend working hours, exacerbate social inequalities, and contribute to a phenomenon termed "de-citizenship," where citizens experience diminished political and social inclusion. Drawing on interviews with residents and community leaders, it highlights how apartheid-era spatial segregation and neoliberal policies have entrenched class and racial divides in mobility, resulting in high transport costs, unsafe travel, and limited access to employment and services. The collapse of public rail services and the privatized, often violent taxi industry further deepen these challenges, fostering widespread disillusionment with democratic processes, as reflected in declining voter turnout and political disengagement in Khayelitsha. The authors argue that despite these hardships, collective resistance and mobilization around transport issues may serve as a basis for renewed political agency and demands for equitable urban citizenship.