Taxis push for regulation of E-drivers in Ballito

The Dolphin Coast Taxi Association (DCTA) has yet to finalise the finer details of implementing a working relationship with e-hailing services in Ballito.

While the aim is to reach common ground between the parties, DCTA spokesperson Siyabonga Ntombela expressed the association’s dissatisfaction with the negative perception created by the headline of the Courier’s article on the matter published last week.

He claimed the headline, Taxi bosses demand money from E-drivers, was misleading and sensationalised the issue.

“We are not seeking to extort legal Uber and Bolt drivers, but are against the illegal operators. To address the situation, we need to establish a working relationship with local Uber and Bolt operators and come to an agreement.

Once it is signed, we will then address the security issue of keeping the illegal operators out of our area. Both the taxi association and the e-hailing operators will have to contribute to the security company’s bill. That is not extortion,” said Ntombela.

The taxi association has proposed that each legal Uber and Bolt operator contribute R600 a week towards these protection services that will keep the unregistered drivers out of the area.

The e-hailing drivers say they feel they have little choice but to comply in order to continue operating in Ballito.

Currently more than a hundred e-hailing drivers are reportedly active in Ballito.

Although the association said last week the number of e-hailing operators should be reduced to 25, Ntombela said they are considering a “reasonable number”, which is still to be decided.

He said e-hailing operators are only supposed to respond to app requests, but in Ballito they are found parked at malls, approaching people to offer rides home, which the association cannot allow.

Some even approach people who are waiting for their requested rides, offer cheaper rates and ask them to cancel their requests.

“We are the legal route operators in this area, and no one else is allowed to open a rank or load passengers.”

iLembe police spokesman Captain Alex Thomson said although no cases had been opened by e-hailing operators in Ballito, the police are aware of the situation and will be investigating.

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