A three-day stayaway is being planned by the Western Cape E-Hailing Association (WCEA) in protest against the alleged mistreatment of its members by major e-hailing platforms Uber, Bolt and inDriver.
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According to the association, the strike will begin on 14 November and end on 17 November.
WCEA chairperson Siyabonga Hlabisa told IOL that during the strike, drivers represented by the association would turn off their devices to put pressure on the e-hailing platforms to respond to their demands.
Hlabisa stated that the demands are part of a list of grievances that the association has attempted to resolve with the platform operators with little to no success.
‘Drivers are concerned about several issues, such as the pricing of the trips,’ he explained. ‘I mean the cost of living continues to rise, however, these apps have chosen to decrease the prices, costing drivers immensely. The commission is something we have been asking these platforms to change for some time but nothing has been done.’
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‘Drivers are also concerned about their safety, while these apps are making strides in developing initiatives to ensure the safety of their clients, drivers do not receive the same attentiveness. We are also concerned about some of the developments these apps keep on introducing that disadvantage our drivers.’
‘During the stayaway, we’re calling on all drivers to unite behind the cause and look at the bigger picture. We can only achieve our objective by moving together,’ Hlabisa said.
Bolt East and Southern Africa Regional Manager Takura Malaba confirmed that the service was aware of the planned protest by ride-hailing drivers and respected every driver’s right to protest. Malaba urged participants to do so responsibly.
A spokesperson for Uber said that for the platform service provider, the safety and well-being of its drivers and riders were some of its utmost priorities.
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Also read:
Here’s why you might be struggling to get an e-hailing trip in Cape Town’s townships
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