Diale-Tlabela said such an app would create jobs for locals and help organise an industry where each e-hailer seemed to represent themselves.
Gauteng transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela has suggested that a way to ease the tensions between taxi operators and e-hailers, and the issues many e-hailers have, is for Gauteng to have its own e-hailing app.
Trouble between taxis and e-hailers has brewed for years but exploded last week after the death of 27-year-old e-hailing driver Siyanda Mvelase outside Maponya Mall in Soweto.
While angry community members shut down the mall and gave taxi operators seven days to stop using the premises, Diale-Tlabela said this week that tensions had eased.
‘Exploitation’
Speaking on Monday, she confirmed the formation of a team comprising e-hailers, taxi associations, the mall and the government to deal with transport issues in the province.
She said the first thing is “to get them [e-hailing drivers] properly organised and then get them legalised”.
A service centre has now been opened every Monday by the department to help e-hailers with permit issues and to accredit those who work in the area.
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Gauteng’s own e-hailing app
Diale-Tlabela said among the chief challenges many drivers faced was alleged “exploitation by the apps that they are participating in”.
“There is a desire for self-determination and a request for government to assist with creating e-hailing platforms for them to work on.”
She brought up the importance of safety and said such an app would be secure and accountable.
“We know some apps are notorious for not being safe, and we have moved away from these apps. That is why we are looking into the idea, so that we can control everything.
“It is an opportunity for us to come up with a Gauteng e-hailing app that we will all be responsible for, government and those in the business. We have asked our team to enhance the idea and take it forward.”
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Hiring locals
Diale-Tlabela said such an app would create jobs for locals and help organise an industry where each e-hailer seemed to represent themselves.
“Tomorrow, there is a protest about the cost of permits. They want me to regulate a price, but who am I regulating the price for, because a lot of them [e-hailing drivers] are operating illegally. Many of them are not South Africans. For me, this is about South Africans and South African communities first.”
What happens on the ground
She acknowledged that agreements that were made with the government were not implemented on the ground.
“We have been sitting with e-hailing organisations and, similar to the taxi operators, the sense is that there seems to be an agreement, but when you get to the ground, there is a huge gap between provincial leaders and those on the ground. This must be bridged.”
Mvelase will soon be laid to rest in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal, with the support of the government and the newly-formed transport co-operation team.
KZN government officials visited the Mvelase family home on Monday, with Diale-Tlabela and the Gauteng government to follow.
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