Tensions run high between taxi owners and e-hailing drivers in KZN

Having proper permits to transport commuters will be the solution for the ongoing tensions between e-hailing drivers and taxi owners.

This is according to KwaZulu-Natal South African Taxi Association (Santaco) spokesperson Sifiso Shangase.

Shangase was speaking to Weekend Witness following several complains by commuters, who claim there are taxi owners across the province who force them out of e-hailing cars and make them take taxis.

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These owners are reportedly accompanied by armed security guards, who are believed to be in their service.

Commuters also allege that the taxi owners do not want other residents to give them lifts, as this affects the taxi owners’ businesses.

Shangase said they have heard that there are taxi owners involved in these practices.

He said one of the reasons they are doing this is that they are frustrated that there are people who are operating anywhere they want without having proper permits, which is killing the industry.

The issue about the e-hailing taxis is that they are operating anywhere they want but they do not have papers. According to the national Land Transport Act, if you are operating on the national road you need to have a permit so that you can be given a route where you will operate. You cannot [operate] everywhere, and not without any papers.

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Shangase said the e-hailing drivers are creating unfair competition because they are operating illegally.

Out of frustration the owners are just trying to protect their businesses. We understand that a person can choose which transport to use, but those people who are transporting people must be legal and have routes. [We appeal] to the government to intervene in this matter so that these drivers can also have permits and routes where they will operate.

Commenting on the matter of ordinary residents’ not being allowed to have a lot of passengers in their cars, especially if they are driving bigger vehicles like Avanzas, Shangase said as long they are not making money by transporting those passengers they do not have a problem with them.

One of the residents in Vulindlela area said in her area, there are always armed security guards on the lookout to check that people are not getting lifts or using e-hailing services.

There is a place where you are not allowed to lift someone from a certain place to a certain place, even if it is your family. You are not allowed to stop and pick up someone.
If you do, they will stop you and ask you to drop off that person. It is scary because you know what they are going to do if you don’t cooperate.

People on Facebook have also been raising their frustrations, accusing the taxi owners of being greedy.
One of the victims, an e-hailing driver, said: “They stopped me and took my car. They forced me to pay R1 500. I have stopped working because they have been noticing me and telling me they do not want us here.”

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Another said: “These people are just honestly selfish. We live in a democratic nation, yet we are unable to take transport of our choice. We are being forced to take taxis.

“They are just failing to do their job. We spend hours waiting for taxis at the taxi rank, we even get to work late because of them.”