E-hailing Drivers Point to Government’s Failure to Regulate Taxi Industry As Cause for Arson Attacks in Soweto

• E-hailing taxi operators are blaming the South African government for the recent arson attacks in Soweto
• The Soweto United E-hailing Association said the lack of regulation created the environment for the attacks
• At least four e-hailing vehicles were set on fire in separate incidents at Maponya Mall and Protea Glen shopping mall

JOHANNESBURG - The regulation of the taxi industry has become a hot-button topic again following the spate of arson attacks against e-hailing drivers in Soweto, Johannesburg.

The drivers are pointing the finger at the South African government for failing to regulate the public transport sector, which they claim is a direct cause of the attacks.

E-hailing vehicles set alight at Maponya Mall and Protea Glen shopping mall in Soweto

E-hailing vehicles were set alight in separate incidents outside two malls Soweto malls in recent days.

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The first attack occurred at Maponya Mall on Thursday, 1 June, when three e-hailing drivers were attacked, and their vehicles were set on fire. One person was shot during the incident, eNCA reported.

The second incident happened days later at the Protea Glen shopping mall on Tuesday, 6 June. At least one vehicle was set alight in the attack.

Soweto United E-hailing Association calls on government to regulate public transport sector

Vhatuka Mbelengwa, a Soweto United E-hailing Association member, said that the blame for the arson attacks does not lie with minibus taxi operators but rather the government.

Mbelengwa said that the government has allowed people to operate illegally in the sector and has let e-hailing services like Bolt and Uber penetrate the market without regulating pricing, TimesLIVE reported.

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Mbelengwa said:

“It is too easy to blame each other or taxis. I am blaming the government."

Mbelengwa added that the illegal operators are not associated with legitimate e-hailing services or taxi associations and offer far lower prices to avoid paying commission fees.

Meanwhile, e-hailing taxi operators and taxi associations have come to an agreement that e-hailing drivers will not drop off or pick up customers inside Soweto malls for the next three months.

South Africans believe taxi industry is to blame for the attacks

Below are some comments:

@lucnoz_ complained:

"The taxi industry is a bully...they don't get punished for wrongdoing, rather they get engaged in dialogue."

@MrTLeggedy questioned:

"Where’s the Transport MEC? This is truly not on…."

@SAfricanSG said:

"We need to bring an end to the current mafias pretending to be taxi associations."

@derickmoremi added:

"These useless taxi associations think they own commuters ai by the way we use our money and we don't owe them."

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E-hailing vehicle set on fire outside Protea Glen Mall, Sa believes taxi industry to blame: “Motive is clear”

@CharlesMalatsi1 suggested:

"Let's use trains and Rea Vaya buses."

@rugbywood questioned:

"So much for free enterprise. The taxi industry cannot deal with legitimate competition. Where is freedom of choice for the consumer?"

Emtee blasts Bolt for allegedly hiring ex-convicts, cab company defensive: “Drivers go through verification”

Earlier, Briefly News reported that rapper Emtee is sick and tired of cab companies failing to prioritise their passengers' safety. The Manando rapper accused Bolt of employing lawbreakers.

Displaying his fearlessness, Emtee tagged Bolt as he called them out for potentially delivering the worst experience to their customers. He tweeted:

"@boltapp, why do u guys have ex-cons as drivers?"

Source: Briefly News