Drivers fed up with E-hailing companies
The E-hailing Partners Council (EPCO) marched a convoy to Uber offices in Kramerville to hand-over memorandum of demands.
E-hailing service providers took to the streets of Sandton towards the Uber headquarters in Kramerville to submit their memorandum of demands.
Law enforcement and security were on the scene monitoring the procession on September 20, as traffic slowed to accommodate the protest action. Motorists and commuters were advised to use alternate routes.
E-hailing Partners Council (EPCO) chairman Hendry Mathebula lamented that Uber officials were ignoring the plight of e-hailing service providers, subjecting them to ‘slave’-like conditions.
According to the first two points in the memorandum handed over to Uber by EPCO, Uber is an exploiter that infringes on the drivers’ right to choose clients, putting drivers at risk of accepting dangerous trips.
“The company continues not to listen to us; they continue to implement things that continue to exploit the drivers and partners in the e-hailing space,” said Mathebula. “All Uber can do is exploit people; to take control of people, enslave them at the expense of their [the drivers’ own] investment.”
According to Mathebula, operators and drivers are displeased by the partnership Uber has entered with the Gauteng government, they believe that the agreement is heavily disadvantageous to them and the tools of their trade; their cars.
“We are finding out that they are also in partnership with the government on issues of pretence of bringing in empowerment.; we know that it’s not empowerment,” Mathebula said. “As the drivers and operators, we have invested a lot in terms of our cars, our expertise, and our time into this business; but we
have nothing to show as a return to the investment.”
According to the memorandum submitted to Uber in Kramerville, EPCO demands that Uber complies with the industry benchmark towards addressing the grievances mentioned in the memorandum – specifying that compliance would ensure accountability and recognised partnership, enabling mobility as well as safe, affordable and profitable transport services.
Related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/334130/pangolin-rescued-by-an-e-hailing-driver/
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/313624/pedestrians-waiting-for-e-hailing-services-allegedly-targeted/
