A group of app-based taxi drivers on Monday staged a protest against their fares remaining the same despite the recent sharp hike in the petrol price and a VAT increase.
Hundreds of Uber and Taxify drivers assembled on Jan Smuts Avenue near the Johannesburg Zoo‚ before moving to nearby Zoo Lake. They are planning to travel together to deliver a memorandum of demands to Uber's offices.
Nkosinathi Nguni‚ an Uber driver‚ says he is working like a slave. "We are tired of working hard and earning less. Right now the petrol price went up and Uber doesn't increase trip prices. They don't even care about the safety of drivers‚ safety is not taken seriously‚" said Nguni.
Sifiso Tshabalala‚ another driver‚ said: "Our complaints don't matter. The only allegations they take seriously are those of customers and never the driver. Sometimes customers are the ones who victimise us."
"On top of that‚ they take 25 percent from all transactions. That's killing us because‚ imagine‚ if the trip is R20‚ what will you have remaining?" Tshabalala said.
One of their biggest challenges is the imposed upfront payment system‚ he said.
"The upfront payment disadvantages us because the rider can decide to use a different route. Sometimes you can drive more kilometres and not get paid for it because the upfront (payment) is set on a certain route‚" Tshabalala added.
Drivers said they were prepared to strike if Uber did not take corrective action on their demands.
Earlier on Monday‚ the Taxify and Uber drivers were accused of pulling over fellow drivers‚ forcing them to stop and join the protest. The drivers denied they had done so.
Uber‚ Taxify drivers stage fare protest near Joburg Zoo
Image: Alon Skuy
A group of app-based taxi drivers on Monday staged a protest against their fares remaining the same despite the recent sharp hike in the petrol price and a VAT increase.
Hundreds of Uber and Taxify drivers assembled on Jan Smuts Avenue near the Johannesburg Zoo‚ before moving to nearby Zoo Lake. They are planning to travel together to deliver a memorandum of demands to Uber's offices.
Nkosinathi Nguni‚ an Uber driver‚ says he is working like a slave. "We are tired of working hard and earning less. Right now the petrol price went up and Uber doesn't increase trip prices. They don't even care about the safety of drivers‚ safety is not taken seriously‚" said Nguni.
Sifiso Tshabalala‚ another driver‚ said: "Our complaints don't matter. The only allegations they take seriously are those of customers and never the driver. Sometimes customers are the ones who victimise us."
"On top of that‚ they take 25 percent from all transactions. That's killing us because‚ imagine‚ if the trip is R20‚ what will you have remaining?" Tshabalala said.
One of their biggest challenges is the imposed upfront payment system‚ he said.
"The upfront payment disadvantages us because the rider can decide to use a different route. Sometimes you can drive more kilometres and not get paid for it because the upfront (payment) is set on a certain route‚" Tshabalala added.
Drivers said they were prepared to strike if Uber did not take corrective action on their demands.
Earlier on Monday‚ the Taxify and Uber drivers were accused of pulling over fellow drivers‚ forcing them to stop and join the protest. The drivers denied they had done so.
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