By: Matshidiso Selebeleng
Mounting tensions between traditional taxi drivers and e-hailing service operators are starting to raise serious concerns about public safety in several communities across the country
Recent confrontations, some turning violent, have left commuters caught in the crossfire with local authorities consistently failing to mediate this continuous conflict that disrupts daily commuting and threatens social harmony.
This comes after an e-hailing driver was shot and burned to death in his vehicle at Maponya Mall in Soweto, Gauteng. The violence has caused a ripple effect that is now spreading to other provinces, leaving commuters caught in the middle and uncertain about which mode of transport to use.
“Everyone has a right to choose the transport they want to use because they’re spending their own money,” said Selaocoe Chwi, a student in Bloemfontein who prefers e-hailing services over conventional taxis.
“Ubers and Bolts are more convenient for some of us because they pick you up and drop you off at home—unlike taxis,” she added.
After completing his university studies in 2022, 27-year-old e-hailing driver, Athenkosi Hans, has been relying on the taxi service as his main source of income. He tells Journal News that he and other e-hailing operators in the Free State capital face consistent threats and physical violence from taxi drivers.
“I’ve experienced several incidents - some extremely serious. One of the worst was when my car was written off after a violent attack.
“The most recent incident took place at our waiting bay in Universitas. We were ambushed, some of my colleagues ended up in the hospital, and several cars were overturned and severely damaged,” said Hans.
He added that the ongoing violence has taken a toll on his mental health and also negatively impacted his family, because they constantly worry about his safety.
“Honestly, it’s heartbreaking. We go out to work not to fight. We’re just trying to earn a living like everyone else, but we’re constantly living in fear. It feels like our safety is not a priority, and we’re being left to survive in a system that offers no protection. It’s exhausting and unfair,” he added.
Hans believes that the only way to resolve the conflict and restore peace is to formalise the e-hailing industry.
Meanwhile, SANTACO national spokesperson Rebecca Phala said one of the underlying issues could be an oversupply of transport providers with limited demand. She emphasised the need for urgent government intervention and regulation of the e-hailing sector to prevent further escalation.
The transport ministry has, since the recent incident at Maponya Mall, strongly condemned the never-ending acts of violence between the taxi and e-hailing industries.
In June last year, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law new regulations which have been approved and are now awaiting the second official language translation for gazetting and implementation.
Under the new law, e-hailing drivers will receive official e-hailing operating licences and will no longer use charter permits and meter taxi operating licences in South Africa as currently required.
