Cape Town - Fifteen metered-taxi drivers have been arrested after participating in a protest against the Uber taxi service.
The drivers called the Uber taxis “illegal” and demanded transport MEC Donald Grant remove them.
The taxi drivers gathered on Thursday outside the provincial legislature hoping to hear from Grant. They wanted to know how Uber “continues to operate illegally”. About 150 metered taxis blocked Long street in the CBD.
Fifteen drivers were arrested on charges of public disorder.
David Drummond, the spokesman for the metered-taxi industry, said they had tried in vain to obtain answers from Grant’s office.
“Our lawyers are at Caledon Square and trying to arrange their release,” said Drummond, who also owns a fleet in Table View with 40 drivers. “We feel the police were unnecessarily rough.
“Representatives from the industry met with Grant four weeks ago and agreed to wait two weeks for answers. The weeks have passed and despite many e-mails to the department, they have refused to engage with us, hence today’s meeting which led to the taxis congregating in Dorp and Long Streets.”
Drummond said the Western Cape Metered Taxi Council had been dissolved by the government this week, “so there is currently no official body which represents the metered taxi industry”.
“Uber has 220 legal permits which have been uplifted, but has more than 2000 vehicles operating in Cape Town. Their vehicles also do not comply with city regulations as they are not branded or have a roof light. To these and other questions, we want answers.
“We are not opposed to e-hailing, and we think Uber is brilliant, but it needs to be used within a legal framework,” Drummond said.
“We want to know why government is not giving us answers and refusing to engage with us.”
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