Meter taxi drivers live in fear of ‘EFF’
‘PARTY’ FORCES THEM TO JOIN UBER FIGHT Mpofu says men demanding R400 from every driver is ‘obviously a scam’.
Tshwane meter taxi drivers were living in fear of assaults after a group of unlicensed drivers claiming to be members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) were forcing them to join their fight against the Uber service.
According to former members of the Tshwane Meter Taxi Council, the group, often dressed in EFF regalia, have threatened meter taxi drivers who reject their command to attack Uber drivers. The same group were also allegedly responsible for the violent attacks on Uber drivers in Pretoria.
One of the drivers, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation, said the group had assaulted him at the office of the transport department in May when they had planned to discuss the challenges in the industry with Minister Joe Maswanganyi.
Footage taken from a meter taxi rank in Sunnyside surfaced, showing three men, dressed in red hats and a red hoody, aggressively speaking to taxi drivers who had ranked on Robert Sobukwe Street. Since then, the driver had not returned to the rank.
“They have been collecting R400 from each meter taxi driver, claiming they need to raise R400 000 to pay Advocate Dali Mpofu, who “will help them get rid of Uber. They claim they have already paid Mpofu R100 000,” he said. But Mpofu rubbished the claims, saying such allegations towards him were “nonsense” as he never received any money.
“They are just taking advantage of people’s ignorance. I am not involved at all. They are just abusing my name and that of the party. This is obviously a scam. They must not give them any money,” he told