Durban University of Technology (DUT) third-year Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in Business Analysis student Lulwazi Jali is looking to transform the way commuters interact with the minibus taxi industry through his innovative mobile platform, Taxi Fynder.
Jali presented Taxi Fynder to leaders of the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) during an innovation showcase held at DUT on 23 September 2026, with the aim of securing provincial endorsement and exploring opportunities for collaboration and wider implementation.
The showcase brought together representatives from DUT, SANTACO, MTN and Hybrid Automotive Evolution to explore how student innovation, industry knowledge and corporate support can come together to address everyday challenges faced by commuters and taxi operators.
Opening the event, Dr Thandukwazi Ncube, Head of the Department of Finance and Information Management at DUT, described the showcase as an opportunity to use student innovation to respond to real challenges in South African communities.
He highlighted the important role of the minibus taxi industry in transporting millions of people every day and said innovation should support and uplift operators.
“Minibus taxis move the majority of our workforce and learners every single day,” said Dr Ncube. “Under our ENVISION2030 strategy, DUT is committed to being creative, distinctive, and impactful. We believe our role as an engaged university is to collaborate directly with industry leaders like SANTACO and corporate partners like MTN to produce home-grown solutions that safeguard and modernise our communities.”
Quoting DUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Thandwa Mthembu, Dr Ncube added: “At DUT, we believe that people must come up with genuine innovation to solve societal challenges.”
Dr Simeon Nwone then introduced Taxi Fynder and outlined the importance of creating stronger links between academia, industry and corporate partners. He emphasised the need to move promising student ideas beyond the classroom and towards solutions that can create meaningful socio-economic impact.
For Jali, the idea behind Taxi Fynder came from his own experiences as a commuter.
He recalled frequently getting lost in unfamiliar areas and eventually experiencing a mugging in which his phone and wallet were stolen. These experiences prompted him to explore how technology could improve safety and convenience for people using public transport.
“I started researching ways to inject safety and convenience into public transport,” said Jali. “I realised that while the e-hailing sector offers these benefits, private rides remain unaffordable for most daily commuters. Taxi Fynder was designed to bring the efficiencies of e-hailing directly into the mainstream minibus taxi sector.”
Taxi Fynder allows commuters to view active minibus taxis, locate nearby taxi ranks on an interactive map and check verified fares to help them plan their journeys and travel budgets.
The platform also includes a driver interface that alerts drivers to waiting passengers along their designated routes.
Jali said developing the platform was challenging, particularly in securing the resources needed to take the idea forward. Training, technical mentorship and business support from his development team, DUT’s Entrepreneurship Promotion and Innovation Programme (EPIP), and the Innobiz DUT Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation helped him develop the concept into a working platform.
He used the showcase to formally appeal to SANTACO KwaZulu-Natal for provincial endorsement and a long-term partnership that could support the digital modernisation of the minibus taxi sector.
The event also explored the role of corporate partners in supporting the initiative. Mr Sanele Msweli from MTN presented the telecommunications company’s Tablets Initiative and Sponsorship Opportunities and indicated that MTN would explore providing hardware devices and connectivity packages to support the testing and rollout of Taxi Fynder.
Mr Emilios Yiannakakis of Hybrid Automotive Evolution discussed the technical requirements for mounting and securing tablets inside minibus taxis. The devices would allow drivers to view passenger requests and demand along their routes.
The showcase concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, with SANTACO representatives raising questions about the platform’s operational processes, onboarding and potential collaboration.
The engagement marked an important step for Jali as he seeks to move Taxi Fynder from a student innovation project towards a solution that can be tested and potentially adopted within the minibus taxi industry.
Pictured: SANTACO and DUT representatives during the Taxi Fynder innovation showcase.
Photographer: Sandile Lushozi
Luyanda Mlaba
