Increased robberies, attacks on e-hailing drivers reported

E-hailing drivers are fearing for their lives, following an increase in incidents of armed robberies and attacks by both clients and private taxi operators. According to the E-hailing Partners Council, both Bolt and Uber drivers are also get intimidated by members of the taxi industry.

The e-hailing drivers claim they are being harassed and chased away while picking up or dropping off passengers in certain areas.

e-Hailing services have transformed the transportation landscape of South Africa. Operators like Uber, In-Drive and Bolt have since become household brands, offering a convenient alternative to traditional minibus taxis. Despite this, numerous e-Hailing drivers have been targeted and sometimes killed for allegedly competing with the taxi operators for commuters.

Secretary-General of the Council, Melithemba Mnguni, says the harassment is becoming unbearable, as it’s having a negative impact on the drivers’ earnings.

“The situation is bad and it’s been bad. It is really bad in Eastgate Mall, Southgate Mall, Sandton by the Gautrain Station, and the side by Michaelangelo, it is really bad. It is affecting drivers a lot on the earnings. So, a lot of times, it is affecting our earnings; a lot of times it is affecting us where these guys would harass drivers and damage the car. They would hold drivers to ransom and extort money. So, these are some of the issues that drivers are faced with,” says Mnguni.

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Mnguni says e-hailing drivers are now forced to stay away from certain pick-up points in fear of their safety, which results in their customers being significantly inconvenienced.

“A lot of drivers are avoiding those areas which then becomes unfortunate for passengers because they are starved of our service, or they have to walk a distance to an alternate location where these people that are troubling us are not around,” he adds.

However, the National Taxi Alliance refuted these claims, with NTA Spokesperson Theo Malele saying it’s completely unfounded.

“These allegations were unfounded, although at some point, the incident that happened in the East Rand, where some members belonging to a particular association belonging to our sister structure Santaco were spotted and disciplinary procedures were effected against those who were found to be on the wrong side of the law. And ever since, I have known that the industry has never advocated for this kind of violence against people in the malls,” says Malele.

The government has vowed to beef up law enforcement at hotspots where e-hailing drivers are allegedly being targeted.