Photo: Uber_RSA
After years of fighting with Uber and Bolt drivers, Durban taxi owners are finally attempting to get their share of the e-hailing industry. However, their approach could leave a bitter taste in the mouths of potential customers.
YoTaxi owners don’t want Uber and Bolt competition
12 Durban taxi associations create their own e-hailing service
YoTaxi will compete with Uber and Bolt.
YoTaxi charges R7 per KM. pic.twitter.com/Xejltv7aep
— Entrepreneur Zone (@SayEntrepreneur) October 21, 2019
KwaZulu-Natal taxi owners have warned Uber and Bolt drivers to stop operating in the province. Instead, they’ve offered the drivers incorporation into their service.
The new e-hailing service has been named the YoTaxi. What is worrisome about the offer by taxi owners to Uber and Bolt drivers is what happens if the established e-hailing services refuse to join them.
If the new service doesn’t perform as expected, this could spark violence in the province’s transport sector. An example of this is an online video that has gone viral on social media.
In the footage, a YoTaxi owner was recorded as he threatened Uber and Bolt drivers. The taxi owner said:
“Tell your owners to come and join, and put their cars under YoTaxi, so that they can be safe. This is our job and it belongs to the taxi industry.”
Taxi owner DBN e-hailing association refuses to be threatened
Your so called YoTaxi thugs forcing clients off @Uber and @Boltapp_za cars as apparently only they can operate in Durban @dbntourism @MbalulaFikile @eThekwiniM pic.twitter.com/CWaQNMYJBo
— spaza (@zeengii) October 21, 2019
The chairperson of the Durban e-Hailing Association, Andre de Bruin, revealed that they were aware of the threats made by Yotaxi towards their drivers. De Bruin stated:
“Let’s wait for one of our vehicles to be impounded by these taxi owners, and they will see what will happen to them. Believe me, if the taxi owners think that they’re going to push us over, we’re waiting for them.”
Andre de Bruin, Durban e-Hailing Association Taxi council wants clients to choose preferred e-hailing services
Sifiso Ntshangase, the provincial manager of the South Africa National Taxi Council (SATC), had a more liberal take to the matter. He said no one should be stopped from operating.
Ntshangase encouraged customers to decide who they wanted to travel with. Brigadier Jay Naicker, the KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, confirmed that a group of people had visited the Durban Central police station to report threats directed at them.
Naicker revealed that constant patrols were conducted to try and stem the intimidation.
YoTaxi members refuse to allow ‘European giants’ to take over
Some YoTaxi members, who didn’t want to be named, “said their model was based on following regulations, such as permits and car branding.”
They shared:
“We have no intention of using force, but will not allow our operations to be bulldozed by illegal operators and European giants that abuse their powers.”
YoTaxi members
They claimed they would respect all other apps, as long as they were in compliance with the permit laws and legislation of South Africa.
