Transport feud gets ugly

If you are planning on taking an Uber to or from the Sandton Gautrain Station, think again.

Numerous residents and Uber drivers have been threatened by meter taxi drivers outside the station as a result of a vicious feud between the two parties.

Read: Uber under attack

American exchange student, Katherine Campbell, who is currently working in Sandton had an unpleasant experience on 22 July.

Campbell said, “I took an Uber out to the Gautrain Station, but as we approached the station, the Uber driver seemed nervous and asked if I would be willing to be dropped off a block up from the station itself because he was worried about the taxi drivers there.”

She said she agreed and the driver stopped a block away from the station.

“But even a block away, he didn’t want to get out of the car to open my door because he wanted to be able to to do what he called a ‘quick getaway’ if anything were to happen,” she added.

“He also said to be careful getting out and to move away from the car quickly so that I would not be harassed if anyone saw me getting out of an Uber vehicle.”

Read: Gautrain Sandton Station speaks out on meter and Uber taxi squabble

The 22 July was even more unfortunate for another Uber user, Nick Herbert.

“I got in an Uber and the car was approached by two threatening men. They stopped the Uber before it could drive away, one holding the driver by the arm and the other approaching from the other side,” Herbert said.

“The driver after a few seconds turned to me and said he was terribly sorry but I had to get out.”

He added that it was at this point that he realised that the two men were meter taxi drivers.

Read: Meter taxis and Uber squabble tackled at summit

An Uber driver who has chosen to remain anonymous out of fear for his safety said, “There is a huge issue with these meter taxis and Uber. Meter taxis feel threatened by Uber but they are also now threatening tuk-tuk drivers outside the Gautrain station. The bad thing is that the police are [allegedly] taking the side of the meter taxis and not helping us.”

Spokesperson for Sandton Police Station, Warrant Officer Moses Maphakela said an investigation was in the process on a separate Uber incident that has been brought to his attention. “We are still investigating a case of intimidation and the investigation is ongoing,” he said.

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He stressed that the allegations of the police siding with meter taxis needed to be brought to the attention of the police and added that the aforementioned Uber driver needs to report the matter.

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