Look for e in tuk-tuk
MELVILLE – Melville tuk-tuk company (e-tuk tuk) warns residents about the dangers of using unlicensed tuk tuks.
Founding director and chief operating officer of e-tuk tuk, Cornish Dikgale warns residents of illegal tuk-tuk drivers in the area.
According to Dikgale there is an increasing number of private tuktuks in the area that are giving e-tuk tuk a bad name.
This plight came to light when resident Louise Vale contacted e-tuk tuk complaining about bad service she had received from a driver.
“When she gave us the registration number, we knew it was not ours but a pirate’s,” Dikgale said.
“We went round to see and show her what an e-tuk tuk looks like – with a big ‘e’ on the front and sides of our vehicles,” added Dikgale.
Ward 87 councillor Amanda Forsythe also advised residents in the area that there are few tuktuks operating in and around Melville, that do not belong to the official Melville tuktuk company (e-tuk tuk).
Marie-Lais Emond from e-tuk tuk also said the unlicensed tuktuks are dangerous.
“They are dangerous because many do not have driver’s licences or have old licences from their countries of origin,” Emond said.
She added that the drivers also don’t have insurance for their passengers.
“We work with the City of Johannesburg to make sure we are completely compliant and we also work with the taxi association, not against it,” Emond said.
Emond added that e-tuk tuk is a greater Melville community project that provides opportunities for drivers to get jobs, to be trained and to eventually become owner-drivers.
“It is run responsibly and it is sad when we are mistaken for these other drivers that jump traffic lights on the wrong sides of the road, overload and park in illegal places,” Emond explained.
She also encourages residents to use tuktuks that have an ‘e’ in the signage.
Related articles:
E-tuk-tuk driver fired for bad service
Unlicensed tuk-tuks in Melville
