Where To Catch It?
There are three most famous taxi ranks amongst many others, but if you are in central city, the more busy side of Joburg, you will find Wanderer’s Taxi Rank and MTN Taxi Rank (Noord) and Bree Taxi Rank. Wanderer’s Taxi Rank is situated next to the ever busy Park Station, filled with many travelers who are traveling long distances, this is where you will find all the taxis going outside of Johannesburg to other cities and towns from Limpopo to the Western Cape and other parts of South Africa. MTN Taxi Rank and Bree Taxi Rank are almost the same when it comes to transporting people, these taxis will take you around Joburg and neighbouring suburbs, going to the East, West, South, and North of Joburg.
How To Catch It?
This is where you need to be fluent in taxi language, sometimes the suburb or place you’re going to is called something else by locals and taxi drivers, so make sure you keep your ears open when entering the taxi to hear what other people are calling the destination, the hand signals they use, and what lingo do they use to request the driver to stop once you’ve reached your destination (short left, after robot, before robot or short right).
Now Onto The Basics
This one is very easy and pretty simple to remember even if you were practicing the night before. A finger up and a finger down means you want to go to the central part of Joburg (Jozi), once you point up or down it’ll take you to ‘local’ which Johannesburg CBD.
T For Thembisa
If you are coming from Randburg going to Thembisa just stand at your nearest stop and hold a T sign up with your hands and the taxi taking you there will be there in no time. Prices aren’t bad at all you can take a taxi from as little as R6 to R18.
Around The Corner Hand Sign
It’s very difficult explaining this hand gesture in words, but you’ll see that you’ve been seeing it more often that not. So then, we’ll have an illustration to show you just what we mean. But you use this sign when hailing a taxi from Themisa to Sebenza.
High Five For Randburg to Noord (CBD)
Another simple and easy gesture is the high five hand gesture. So, stand by the taxi stop hold up a high five sign and you'll get a taxi from Randburg to MTN Taxi Rank (Noord).
C For Cosmo City
If you are travelling to Cosmo City this is the sign to use. Make a C sign with your fingers if you are coming from central city (CBD) to Cosmo City.
Four-ways
This one is self explanatory and easy to remember the place you’re going to is a dead giveaway. All you need to do is hold up fingers to hail your taxi, it wouldn't matter where you are in the city but it'll take you straight to Fourways.
A First For Germiston
If you are traveling from Germiston, all you need to do is create a fist with your hand and point it out so that it is visible to the taxi driver so that they can take you to where you are going. This one takes you from Germiston to Katlehong.
The Peace Sign
Another very easy to remember taxi hand gesture is this one. If you are coming from Emdeni to Highgate you hold up the peace sign, and your taxi will be hailed.
