Metered taxi drivers vow to continue protest
Metered taxi drivers have vowed to continue their protest action until mobile application Uber is completely shut down.
Metered taxi drivers caused havoc on the roads as they blocked main roads leading to and from OR Tambo International Airport to spell out their demands on Friday morning.
The drivers gathered at the Airport, to air their grievances.
Drivers say Uber is operating illegally and they will keep protesting until its is subject to the same regulations and prices their customers are paying.
"Us poor people, poor operators...government is not thinking about us, there is nothing coming to us. The only thing they bring is competition that we cannot compete with. I cannot compete with something that has lower prices. We are not regulating ourselves. Government regulates us," said a taxi driver.
Meanwhile, Uber says it's committed to the safety of both Uber drivers and customers and has a dedicated team working to ensure this.
It comes after representatives of Uber contract drivers blocked off roads outside the company's Parktown offices yesterday over continuous attacks on drivers.
These threats and intimidation against those who choose to use apps like Uber are unacceptable. The protest only underlines why people are increasingly choosing safe and reliable alternatives like Uber," said the company's Sub Saharan Africa General Manager, Alon Lits.