“It is our own government who is selling us out,” was the staunch words of Roodepoort Metered Taxi Assosiation’s (ROMETA) spokesperson Richard Mothibane.
This comes after a turbulent week for taxi associations around the province with Uber set to operate.
This week, Transport MEC Ismail Vadi officially launched a new registration process which allows Uber driver partners to obtain operating licences like all public transport vehicles.
This was followed by more than 20 metered taxi operators assaulting Vadi in the reception area of the department’s building in the Johannesburg CBD.
Mothibane said some of the problems they had was the MEC’s office not giving the associations in the province an opportunity to voice out their opinions.
“If people apply for an operating license, they come to us as the Gauteng Meter Taxi Board, Johannesburg Regional Metered Taxi Council and Rometa, and give them a recommendation letter to take to the traffic department. When taxi operators register, we have to check if there is operating space for that particular driver so the area is not too saturated.
The MEC did not do that. This registration allows us to better serve our communities,” said Mothibane.
Meter taxi drivers are hoping Gauteng Premier David Makhura will hear their cries to stop Uber taxis from operating in the province.
Currently there are over 4‚000 Uber drivers in the country and about 2‚500 of these are found in Gauteng. Uber has already been allowed to operate freely in the Western Cape.
Another worry taxi associations have is the long term impact Uber will have on the local market regarding jobs.
Metered taxi drivers warned have warned the taxi service to stop operating in the country or they will resort to extreme measures.
Uber drivers have faced threats from metred-taxi drivers who accuse them of stealing business and posing unfair competition due to low fares.
Dorljota spokesman Zeblon Simelane said they will give a response at a later date.
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