E-hailing drivers took to the streets of Johannesburg on Monday, accusing the Gauteng Department of Transport of failing to protect them following a deadly attack outside Maponya Mall in Soweto.
The protest comes after 28-year-old driver Mthokozisi Mvelase was shot and killed last week. His vehicle and another e-hailing car were later set alight, allegedly by rival taxi operators.
Demonstrators say their repeated calls for government intervention have been ignored, leaving both drivers and commuters vulnerable to violent attacks. They argue that the absence of an active taxi violence task team in the province has worsened the situation.
Protesters gathered at the Department of Transport’s offices in Johannesburg to hand over a memorandum of demands, which includes immediate safety interventions, proper regulation of the industry, and fairer earnings agreements with e-hailing companies.
The E-hailing Partners Council has stressed that the sector is in urgent need of regulation to curb intimidation from other public transport operators.
In response, Gauteng Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela acknowledged receipt of the memorandum and pledged to address the concerns as a priority.
She said the province is in the process of strengthening the Transport Authority of Gauteng, which will be tasked with tackling both current safety concerns and the long-term future of public transport in the province.
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