E-hailing drivers marched to the provincial legislature in Cape Town today to call attention to their grievances over e-hailing companies, such as Uber and Bolt, and to demand the regulation of the industry, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Also read: Expect disruptions to e-hailing services as Cape drivers embark on strike
In a memorandum compiled by the Western Cape E-hailing Association (WCEA) and handed to the MEC of Transport, drivers called for an intervention by the government.
‘Our members have been subjected to exploitation for over a decade, and despite multiple appeals for intervention, the situation remains dire,’ the memorandum stated.
‘We stand here today, calling on the government to fulfill its responsibility and immediate start with accelerating the regulatory processes in our sector, now that the [National Land Transport] Amendment Act has been signed,’ it added.
The grievances included in the memorandum are as follows:
- The unfair and unilateral deactivation of drivers’ accounts by app companies, without any ‘recourse or
fair and transparent appeals processes’, which has left drivers without an income overnight - Excessive commissions that app companies charge have resulted in reduced earnings for drivers
- Unfair vehicle age limit policies have posed a challenge to the drivers’ ability to operate on the road, even though their vehicles have been classified as being in ‘good condition and safe to operate’
- The decrease in ride fares has not reflected the rising costs of living and escalating operational expenses, such as fuel and vehicle maintenance
- The lack of accountability and protection for drivers has also been mentioned in the memorandum. Drivers face daily life-threatening situations, harassment, robberies, hijackings, damage to property and ‘severe mental stress caused by criminals posing as riders’
- The absence of social protections including no compensation for injuries or loss of life while on duty has left drivers ‘vulnerable in a dangerous work environment’
- Finally, the lack of government intervention to address the price-setting mechanisms and unfair competition has also been highlighted.
‘The mini-bus taxi industry is allowed to set its own fares, and meter taxis operate with regulated pricing
(R13.50 per km). Yet, app companies are permitted to set drivers’ earnings as low as R7 per km, a
disparity that creates instability and places an unsustainable burden on drivers,’ according to the memorandum.
The memorandum also outlined how the WCEA wants the government to intervene:
- The decisive intervention to regulate the pricing mechanisms within the e-hailing industry to ‘ensure
fair competition’ - Strict regulatory measures should be implemented to protect e-hailing drivers from ‘arbitrary account deactivations’, as well as to establish clear channels for appeals and recourse.
- Enforceable measures, such as appropriate commissions that app companies should charge, so that drivers would allow drivers to earn a sustainable income.
- Regulations that address vehicle age limits should take the operational safety of the vehicle ‘rather than a blanket policy imposed by the app companies’ into consideration
- Social protection and insurance coverage for e-hailing drivers should ensure compensation for injuries or loss of life while on duty
Muneera Allie, Western Cape mobility department spokesperson, has stated that the department was ‘aware of the action by e-hailing operators’, according to News24.
‘Engagements have been held with the Western Cape E-Hailing Association. E-hailing operators’ grievances relate to the app providers, such as Uber and Bolt, with regard to usage and discrepancies,’ said Allie.
‘The department will be working closely with the WCEA in order to work toward a resolution and will monitor the situation,’ Allie added.
Western Cape police are also aware of the planned protest, with Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie, police spokesperson, stating that their deployment will be ‘strategic to monitor, and act adequately and appropriately should circumstances dictate’.
Also read:
Cape woman assaulted and nearly kidnapped by e-hailing driver
Picture: Athena Sandrini / Pexels
