Uber drivers call on government to do more to protect them

08 September 2017 - 15:01 By Jan Bornman
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An Uber car is seen parked with the driver's lunch left on the dashboard. File Photo
An Uber car is seen parked with the driver's lunch left on the dashboard. File Photo
Image: LUCY NICHOLSON

While police maintain a strong presence in Sandton‚ Johannesburg‚ after three taxis were torched‚ drivers for the ride sharing company Uber are calling on government to do more to protect them.

The ongoing tensions between Uber and other metered taxi drivers escalated on Thursday night. TimesLIVE reporter Graeme Hosken was on the scene and reported hearing gunshots.

Zweli Ngwenya‚ who represents Uber drivers through the organisation The Movement‚ said they condemned the violence‚ but believed the police‚ government and their company Uber South Africa needed to do more to ensure their safety.

"We have tried to engage all the parties and work hand in hand‚ but no one is responding‚" he said. "What happened in Sandton last night (Thursday) is really sad. [But] there are thousands of driver-partners and we cannot control everyone‚" he said.

"We are the ones that are in danger. We are the ones receiving the beatings‚" he said.

Elain Jack‚ precinct manager for Sandton Central Management District‚ said they would put pressure on the police and government to address the problem.

" The only thing we can do as the private sector is push and put pressure‚” and have held discussions with the police and JMPD about increasing their presence and monitoring the area."

Uber South Africa confirmed that one of the cars torched on Thursday night was registered on their platform and they had been in contact with the driver‚ who had not been seriously injured.

"On being notified of this incident our operations‚ security and law enforcement teams immediately reached out to the relevant authorities‚" said Uber South Africa spokesperson Samantha Allenberg.

"We are deeply committed to the safety of both riders and driver-partners. It’s why we have made safety features like GPS tracking (of every trip) a reality. Driver-partners have access to a 24/7 local emergency line to use in the event they feel unsafe."

Allenberg said Uber had hired additional security response teams in areas such as key Gautrain stations.

"We have partnered with multiple security response services that are able to dispatch security and medical services in emergency situations in a reduced time‚ in an effort to improve the safety of driver-partners who use the Uber app‚" she said.

Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said police had deployed members of the public order policing unit on Thursday night to contain the situation‚ and some will remain in Sandton until the police feel everything had returned to normal.

He said no arrests had yet been made.

On Friday morning the minister of transport‚ Joe Maswanganyi‚ "denounced acts of violence". Perpetrators of violence and intimidation will be immediately dealt with in terms of the applicable‚" the minister said in a statement.

Maswanganyi called on operators to obtain the correct licence or a permit. "This means that anyone who operates a public transport service for reward without an operating licence will be violating the law."

Maswanganyi said the legislation also required operators to have signage that identifies them as a provider of public transport.

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