DURBAN’S meter taxi drivers, with support from other areas around the province, parked their vehicles and marched from Botha Park through the streets to City Hall this morning.
The meter taxi industry led by the KZN Meter Taxi Alliance held the peaceful march to air their grievances against the popular transport mobile app Uber which is “financially crippling” local drivers and handed over a memorandum of demands to the City.
A taxi driver who spoke to Berea Mail at City Hall where the memorandum was being signed, said, “The march is against Uber, we don’t want Uber operating in Durban or South Africa.
“Their rates are half our rates, while we like healthy competition, Uber rates are something we can’t even try to compete with. In our industry, meter taxi drivers have rules and regulations that have to be followed and taxes to be paid, but Uber is tax free!” The driver hoped bringing their issues to the Mayor would assist them in getting rid of Uber.
The carrying placards such as “Support legal local meter taxis”, If we have to obey the law, so must illegal Uber, Illegal Uber must fall, hundreds of drivers sang, toyi-toyied and shouted “Uber must fall” and “Phansi Uber, Phansi” .
The Mayor’s representative, Desmond Myeza accepted the memorandum. A leader of the Alliance speaking in Zulu, threatened that meter taxi drivers would not vote in the local elections if government did not get rid of Uber. Local meter taxi drivers are required to have a current Motor Carrier Permit/Operating Licence issued by the Department of Transport stipulating their point of operation and radius they operate within as well as COR/COF. There are demarcated ranks managed and controlled by Metro Police usually in front of hotels, shopping centres, entertainment and sporting facilities. They are required to have comprehensive insurance and passenger liability, a clean criminal record and valid Public Driving Permit.
Myeza said while he could only accept the memorandum, he would ensure the MEC of Transport Willies Mchunu received and investigated whether Uber was operating illegally in the country.
The KZN Meter Taxi Alliance memorandum of demands included the removal of Uber operators with immediate effect, law enforcement agencies to prosecute and impound all Uber cars who do not have the requirements to operate a metered taxi since Uber uses private vehicles owned by individuals. The Alliance also demanded that a special task team investigate Uber’s anti-competitive and predatory pricing. He said they had full faith in all those in power to bring an end to Uber’s illegal operation which was causing a major impact on the smooth and efficient running of the metered taxi industry.
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