Disgruntled e-hailing drivers have been driving in fear during this festive season due to not having permits.
Speaking to the Weekend Argus this week, an e-hailing driver whose name has been withheld due to the drivers fear of being targeted, said he continues to drive in fear as the City of Cape Town has not issued permits since he began driving.
“I began driving for Bolt last year in May. By the time I began driving, the City of Cape Town had stopped issuing permits. I now have to navigate my way around the city without getting caught,” he said.
The driver believes the delay in issuing of permits is a sheer inconvenience for the pockets of drivers whose only motive is to feed their families.
“Tourists are flooding in, and this is the perfect opportunity to make money. We miss many opportunities because the City will only be issuing permits in 2023 towards the end of the year,” he said.
The driver accused the City of accepting bribes from certain drivers to get permits illegally.
“Those of us who don’t have money to bribe City officials risk getting a R9 000 fine if our cars are caught without a permit. To prove that our services are legal, the airport has a designated spot for e-hailing services. Why does the City treat us like criminals?”
Mpho Sebelebele, head of communications for Uber South Africa said drivers using the Uber app have already completed the requisite steps in applying for their Operating Licences under current national legislation, however, the process of issuing operating licences has over the years been delayed due to a backlog with the City of Cape Town in 2018.
“Unfortunately for drivers they continue to enforce impoundments. Uber reimburses drivers for impoundments and other fines imposed on and paid by drivers. This is our way of supporting drivers by alleviating the financial burden that comes with having their vehicle impounded.
“Drivers depend on their vehicles to make a living for themselves and their families, and therefore welcome the move of issuing operating licences again. Uber continues to engage with the City of Cape Town as well as the province to actively help drivers get their operating licences issued,” she said.
Mayco member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, has denied that the City is responsible for the issuing of permits, and has said that it is the function of Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE) to do so.
“However, the City, in its role as the planning authority, determines the need for a particular service. In this capacity, the City has imposed a moratorium on support for any new metered taxi operating licences (which includes rank, base and e-hailing).
“One of the objectives of the moratorium is for the Urban Mobility Directorate to develop a demand method which will guide the planning authority in terms of the demand for and the supply of these services across the City. Extensive work has been done on this front and the City has worked tirelessly to move this process along,” he said.
Quintas has also rubbished claims made that City officials were accepting bribes.
“Since the City does not issue operating licences, it would be unfounded to make allegations of bribery in exchange for licences. Furthermore, in light of the City imposing a moratorium on the support for new metered taxi operating licences, there is clearly no substance to this allegation. Dissenters are welcome to submit evidence to substantiate such allegations,” he said.
Quintas has further said that the directorate will be ready in the new year to provide the Provincial Regulatory Entity with the findings of the demand survey, which will allow for them (PRE) to initiate the process of granting of new operating licences.