War on Uber cars

“First I was hijacked at gunpoint, then a week later a taxi guy says he’s going to impound my car. It’s a lot we’re going through as Uber drivers,” says Tawonga Chifamba.

On September 25, he had just completed a trip to the University of the Western Cape in Bellville at about 4.30pm and pulled onto the side of the road with five other Uber drivers. Chifamba figured he would have about 15 minutes before his next trip and began washing his car. Then a minibus taxi driver came over and took the ignition keys from every Uber car parked there.

“He told us ‘this is not your rank’,” said Chifamba. “He said ‘you Uber drivers can’t park anywhere, this is our route, this is our rank’.”

The taxi driver demanded R500 from each Uber driver. As this was happening another Uber driver arrived and the taxi driver threatened to break his car window to get the keys, according to Chifamba. The Uber driver panicked and drove off at high speed, hitting an oncoming vehicle.

“This is what they are doing to Uber drivers,” said Chifamba.

“At a mall or anywhere, if you are an Uber driver they harass you. These taxi guys are taking everything into their own hands and doing whatever they want on the road. I just don’t know who is going to help us in this industry.”

“Now we don’t drive to Khayelitsha and Gugulethu,” said Lawrence Ndlovu. “We’re even scared to drive in Bellville. Those guys are targeting us.”

Outside the University of Western Cape Ndlovu was stopped by two men who said they were from a taxi association and who took his phone and cash. Other Uber drivers have reported similar incidents.

GroundUp has received messages from 10 other drivers from e-hailing companies who have been stopped by minibus taxi drivers demanding they pay to operate in the area.

“The SA National Taxi Council is not aware of such incidents,” said spokesperson Thabiso Molelekwa. An Uber marketing representative said no reports had been received and the Cape Organisation For The Democratic Taxi Association had not commented by the time of publication. – Republished from Groundup.org.za