WATCH: Rising fuel, safety among some concerns of Durban e-hailing drivers

WATCH: Rising fuel, safety among some concerns of Durban e-hailing drivers

The Durban march by e-hailing services drivers is picking up speed as they're now moving towards City Hall.

Durban e-hailing drivers protest 22 march 6
Lauren Beukes

Once there, they'll hand over a memorandum to officials from the provincial Department of Transport. 

 

Their grievances range from safety while driving in high-risk areas to the rising cost of fuel. 

 

Driver Sandile Ndlovu says it's been hard to make ends meet.

 

"It's been had and I am telling you the whole of South Africa there are no Uber drivers that is happy. Uber has come up with the thing called Uber Go, that thing is abusing us.?


READ: E-hailing strike to get underway on Tuesday, Durban to be affected

 

"I have been working with Uber for four years and the prices never went up, but now they come up with Uber Go, the kilometre if R5.50 and the petrol went up so how are you saying to me I have to support my kids when the price is going down instead of going up?

 

"We are very stressed about the industry. The industry is not with us, when we go sit around the table with them, they don't even come to us all and we have children and responsibilities we face at home. Sometimes we work 16 or 17 hours a day for us to cover, but still, we can't make it, there's no money." 

 

Menzi Ndwandwe says he just wants the department to hear their concerns and give solutions. 

 

"First of all our safety because you don't know who you are going to get it could be someone who could steal your car. It could be a request, it could be someone to steal your car. Last week I came into an encounter where someone tried to but luckily the people I work with we have this safety thing that we do. 

 

"So they kept calling and calling and eventually, someone pulled up behind me and the guy said drop me off here and also taxi experiences is not really a good one, they could literally stop you and ask you or R4 000 and they say they are going to take the cap."  


Some e-hailing operations are unavailable because of the protest. 

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