Metro seeks legal opinion on e-hailer interdict
It said it will also engage with its national and provincial counterparts to map the way forward. This follows e-hailer taxis obtaining an interdict against the metro which prohibits them from confiscating their vehicles or giving them fines for not having a permit.
The metro will study the Pretoria High Court ruling of February 21 which barred it from impounding the vehicles of Wanatu members and other e-hailing service providers operating without a valid permit and get a second opinion.
Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the metro will also engage with its national and provincial counterparts from the Department of Roads and Transport to map the way forward upon receipt of a legal opinion.
Several e-hailing taxi operators applied to the court to stop metro police from fining them or impounding their vehicles until the Gauteng Department of Transport enables them to apply for permits to operate public transport vehicles.
So, on February 21, the Wanatu e-hailers were on the road again.
Mashigo said the metro will make a public announcement after concluding all the necessary consultations with the relevant stakeholders and determining the way forward.
“The city remains committed to continuously working with all stakeholders to ensure that the law is upheld, permits duly issued to those that comply and ensuring that these service providers can participate in the city’s economy,” explained Mashigo.
While the interim interdict is effective, the metro cannot these fine operators or impound their cars.
“This is a victory for every e-commuter driver in Tshwane. The city cannot punish drivers for a delay they did not cause,” said Judith van der Walt, CEO of Wanatu.
“I am relieved and overwhelmed that we will be back on the road. We are committed to complying with all regulations. This is why we are not only fighting for our company but also for the rights of the e-commuter drivers who stood with us. Our customers miss us, and our drivers cannot wait to serve their calling again.”
She expressed deep gratitude to AfriForum for covering the legal fees thus making the court victory possible.
“Thank you for making this possible and ensuring that justice is served,” said Van der Walt.
On February 19, Wanatu e-hailing operators, as well as seven private operators approached the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria for an interdict.
Their objective was to prevent law enforcement from fining them and impounding their vehicles for operating without a legal permit. They said at present they were unable to apply for the permits to legally operate.
Metro police had earlier in February impounded six vehicles for operating without a valid permit.
Arno Roodt from Hurter Spies Inc. told Rekord that the interim interdict will be followed by a main application to the court to instruct the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport to open its offices and enable systems to receive and process applications from e-hailing operators.
This main application must be filed within two weeks.
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