Bolt, Uber and government welcome discussions to iron out e-hailing issues
"We would like to thank the e-hailing service drivers for suspending their strike actions and giving negotiations a chance to resolve the issues."
Bolt and Uber have both welcomed the government’s plans to regulate the e-hailing industry, saying it could create a fair and competitive public transport system.
This as the transport department was awaiting assent on the National Land Transport Amendment Bill.
It comes after a protest march by drivers for e-hailing services in the Pretoria CBD to apply pressure on the government to regulate the industry, which they believed were not doing enough to protect them.
Gareth Taylor, regional manager for Bolt in Southern Africa, said Bolt “unequivocally” condemned any threats of violence towards drivers and passengers.
“Every person has the right to earn a living and move around without risk of harm, intimidation or coercion, or fear of death or injury.
“Bolt is continuously developing safety features and tools that have a real impact on addressing drivers and passengers’ safety concerns,” he said.
Taylor said Bolt was eagerly awaiting assent to the National Land Transport Amendment Bill and looked forward to a progressive legislative and regulatory environment for land transportation.
“Once this bill is signed into law, e-hailing operators will be regulated and will receive dedicated operating licences once they fulfil all regulatory requirements.”
Uber said that since their launch, they had been actively working with regulators to help shape the future of e-hailing in South Africa.
Spokesperson Jill Hazelbaker said that “the majority of drivers-partners using the Uber app had already completed the requisite steps in applying for their operating licenses, under current legislation”.
“However, the process of operating license has been delayed as there is a backlog with the relevant departments.
“The frustration with bottlenecks is felt by everyone in the industry, not just with our driver-partners.”
Hazelbaker, however, said for the bill to work, it needed to work with regulators that support innovative technology ideas that were inclusive to drivers and consumer demands of the 21st century.
She said in terms of any serious safety issues reported to Uber, there was an incident response team trained in responding to such events.
“The safety of our riders and driver-partners is a top priority. We have a number of safety features available such as access to an in-app emergency button and 24/7 in-app support.”
“We encourage driver-partners and riders to report any incidents of intimidation to Uber and the police to ensure these issues can be resolved,” Hazelbaker said.
READ MORE: E-hailing to be regulated in SA, as protesters apply pressure
On Friday, Gauteng MEC for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure Jacob Mamabolo met with representatives from both companies over the issues.
Mamabolo, along with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), agreed to establish a “stakeholder forum” to be chaired by the MEC that will meet monthly.
“The forum will provide a platform for interaction and engagement for all parties, where matters of mutual interest will be discussed, such as regulation and formalisation of the industry,” said Mamabolo.
“Our recommendation following meetings with the drivers is that the companies should open a dialogue with them. We are pleased that both the companies and the drivers have been receptive to our message.”
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