Drivers for apps such as Uber and Bolt demonstrated outside Parliament last week to demand that e-hailing services increase their fares and decrease the commission they take. The protestors submitted their memorandum of demand to representatives of the labour and transport departments.
The rising cost of living in South Africa, combined with high petrol prices and the fact that fares have not been adjusted, means that the drivers are receiving less compensation. Ever since Uber came into South Africa, petrol was priced at R10 per litre, now petrol is R20, and Uber is still charging the same fares,” a protestor told eNCA.
Everything has gone up in price, including vehicle maintenance and insurance, which comes out of the driver’s pocket. Speaking to eNCA, one of the protestors provided further information on their demands, which include:
Uber and Bolt have never increased their prices but still take a commission of 25%, which protestors want to be reduced to 13%. Uber, Bolt, Didi, and InDriver must include the drivers’ committee in decision making.
“InDriver, we want them to put a minimum fare charge,” another said.
The drivers are also concerned about how they are treated by law enforcement and the ride-hailing companies themselves.
Cape Town city must stop impounding the drivers. These drivers are working hard for themselves, and Cape Town city is abusing the drivers,” one protestor said. They are taking the cars, and you go and complain about the drivers being robbed in Nyanga and Khayelitsha. They don’t respond.
Another protestor told eNCA that “we want Uber to stop blocking and firing drivers without a hearing. They only listen to one side of the story, which is that of the passenger.” Bolt, Uber, and InDriver do not care about us [the drivers]. They only care about the customer.
“They don’t prioritise drivers. For instance, if I get a trip that is in an unsafe place and I reject it, there is an activity that declines. If that activity goes to a minimum range, then I am being blocked. The protestors want their grievances to be addressed within seven days, or they will be back in greater force.
MyBroadband reached out to the ride-hailing services for comment. Frans Hiemstra, General Manager of Sub Saharan Africa at Uber, told MyBroadband that the company would continue to engage with drivers to improve their experiences.
Source: mybroadband
In other news – Kim Kardashian Jokes About Her Own Marriage Experience
Media mogul Kim Kardashian has been married a time or two or three, but she has a real sense of humor about it.
Kardashian was invited to speak at the rehearsal dinner for the wedding of entertainment executive Simon Huck and his fiancé Phil Riportella. It seems like Kardashian has been working on her stand up routine, because she was ready with some jokes about herself and her own weddings. Learn more
