Meter Taxi Alliance's plea to eThekwini over Uber
General Manager at Durban's Mozzie Cabs says they welcome competition but Uber's operations in the country make the playing field unfair.
Peter Lehman's been speaking during a march against the online taxi hailing service.
The march, organized by the KZN Meter Taxi Alliance in Durban has brought together hundreds of operators and drivers from across the province - who say they've grown frustrated with Uber as they've been allowed to fly under the radar.
"They are never pulled over in a road block. The police don't know whether the driver is high, drunk or sober. This is because it is not designated as a legal taxi. The law in this country is very, very clear.
"It's called the National Land Transport Act. It says if you convey public for gain you need to have a permit. You need to comply with a lot of regulations that protect the customer," he said.
Meanwhile, Faye Freedman who's with Eagle Taxis and the alliance says they've been meeting with the eThekwini Transport Authority over the last two years yet there's been no action.
She says there are certain requirements such as workman compensation regulations that need to be followed but that Uber appears to be exempt from those.
"The other component is that they are undercutting prices to an unsustainable amount. Public transport - your margins are very small - and they have cut that in half because they are funded by an international conglomerate that has so much money that they are able to cut prices and push everybody else outside the market.
"This is what is basically happening at the moment and the public don't really know that," she said.
A memorandum of demands has been handed over to the eThekwini Municipality.
(Multimedia content: Khatija Nxedlana)