Ever since the introduction of e-hailing services in the South African transport market in 2013, moving around has become convenient.
Even when the rates increase, people still prefer the efficient mode of transport.
The first service provider to ever enter this market was Uber and with time, Taxify which is now known as Bolt, followed.
Over the years, meter taxis and taxi drivers have grown to feel threatened by Uber and Bolt drivers. As such, e-hailing drivers have become victims of violent attacks at certain public spots such as the Gautrain drop off and pick up zones as well as shopping malls.
On 1 June, three cars were torched and four more damaged outside Maponya Mall in Soweto, Johannesburg. Three drivers of these cars were taken to hospital as two were assaulted and one shot.
Although it has been reported that they are e-hailing drivers, police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi says that investigations are underway to determine if all the drivers who were attacked were e-hailing drivers.
“No suspects are arrested as yet [and] the police maintain a presence in that area to ensure stability and safety for the commuters,” the police statement reads.
While videos of this attack make rounds, other e-hailing drivers continue to fear for their lives.
Maponya Mall. Soweto, JHB. Two e-hailing drivers were shot at and their cars set alight this week - allegedly by taxi drivers. Video as received. pic.twitter.com/mXXn8Mun7Z
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) June 2, 2023
Vusumuzi, who works as a driver for both Uber and Bolt, says these attacks have been happening for years and he’s been a victim of a few of them.
“Regardless of whether you are dropping off or picking up, they attack you. They say, ‘this is our territory, we don’t need unregulated Uber or Bolt, just stay away from these areas’. What they did to me, it was so emotional.
“They grabbed my keys and took my car to a place I don’t know. Lucky enough, I had a tracker [so I followed them] but they had to beat me up for finding where they are. I had to go back with the help of the Metro [police] and that’s when I got my car, but they broke the side mirrors. They were angry and some of them tried to stone me, but they missed the car, they hit the side doors. That’s how I escaped Vosloorus, Katlehong,” he adds.
For his safety, now Vusumuzi does not accept any trips going to Katlehong, be it night or day.
He tells Drum that he also lost a friend who was an Uber driver.
“He was hijacked and dumped in a veld in the boot. They tracked the car, and he was [found] dead. He was strangled and his car stripped.”
Even though these attacks are reported to the two big e-hailing service providers, not much is done to ensure that the drivers are completely safe when on duty.
While most e-hailing drivers have staged demonstrations, some have gone as far as carrying weapons with them to protect themselves.
Vusumuzi says thinking for and protecting themselves is the only way because hitting the brakes on being a driver is not an option and the service providers don’t care.
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When an attack is reported, “they just send a sorry message. If someone passes on, they send condolences message. They do nothing to compensate you. So, the only way is to equip myself, I either have a knife, gun or pepper spray for myself because I have been pushed to that extent.”
Although this is against the rules, Vusumuzi says that he doesn’t fear being reported for having a weapon and being permanently blocked on the platform, just as long as his life is spared.
Disgruntled Vusumuzi adds that “The government is failing us. They must ban some [taxi] associations intentionally to show them that they are serious because here, we are talking about [people’s] lives. I’m the only breadwinner, if my family loses me, what comes next tomorrow?”
Since the recent attacks, the E-hailing Partners Council (an organisation representing e-hailing drivers) have been trying to reach out to taxi associations for engagements and negotiations in a bid to find common ground.
Speaking to Drum about the gravity of the matter at hand, the council’s secretary, Melithemba Mnguni says some of their drivers have been left disabled by these attacks.
“The aftermath is always the worst because many of the victims are breadwinners within their families. I personally lost my young brother, a law graduate who was hijacked and gunned down during a Bolt trip and I can't explain what my mom and family has had to go through.”
The most common hotspots for these attacks in Gauteng are namely Bosman station in Pretoria, Park station in Johannesburg central and most Soweto malls.
Melithemba says the council is working on establishing a group insurance cover to compensate drivers when they’ve been injured, or lives have been lost.
“The government must sign the amendment bill [and] regulate e-hailing. This will mean e-hailing is properly introduced, it is also compliant and app companies (service providers) are compelled to take responsibility and accountability will be realised,” he adds.
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On 7 June, the council was summoned to a meeting with the city’s transport stakeholders including the MMC of transport, Kenny Kunene.
In the meeting, it was resolved that “no e-hailers will pick up and drop off [commuters] from the gates of the malls around Soweto,” Melithemba tells Drum.
He adds that this ban will be reviewed on Friday to finalise on stretching it for a longer period or not.
Elaborating more on the resolutions during his first meal of the day after the meeting around 17:30, Kenny says, “they can only drop people with disabilities and the elderly at the entrances of the malls because we also want to see these illegal operators who are actually causing this confusion.”
“It’s a temporary solution until we meet again on Friday and then on Friday we will then agree [on a long-term solution].”
A committee consisting of government structures including the public safety department has also been established to further deal with the issues that the e-hailing industry encounters on the streets.
