Proper regulation within the e-hailing industry will help decrease criminality and exploitation in the sector. This is according to Gauteng E-hailing Services (GES), that held a media briefing in Johannesburg, about the ongoing challenges faced by operators and passengers.

GES also highlighted the need for unity in the public transport sector, accountability, and proper leadership.

There have been reports of passengers being raped or robbed by drivers and drivers being hijacked. These are just some of the concerns that have been raised in relation to the use of e-hailing platforms.

The Gauteng E-hailing Services organization says they are advocating formal structures to enhance safety, security, and legal compliance.

“We cannot, as an industry anymore, allow people to operate the industry and are not known. This actually opens (the industry) up to criminality and also to people that are actually affecting this industry. We need to control the supply and demand of the industry, by making sure that everybody is accountable within the transport sector, and address the informality and lawlessness in the industry. The continued lack of formalization and unregulated activities has severely undermined the sector’s program that this hinders progress in this environment,” says Thato Ramaila, Chairperson of Gauteng E-hailing Services.

There have also been violent attacks on e-hailing operators by minibus taxi and meter taxi operators.

Ramaila says talks are ongoing between public transport operators to try and mitigate altercations and prevent violent attacks.

“Drivers must be safe. Clients must be safe. A client cannot be threatened with which mode of travel transport to use. People, this is South Africa. Everybody must use what they want to use. But that conversation must be opened to say, ‘how do we address those issues? And how do we operate from those issues?’ But I can rest to assure that we are a stakeholder partnership with a taxi industry,” Ramaila explains.

The South African Meter Taxi & E-hailing Association, a body affiliated to Santaco, says they realize that the game is changing and are embracing technology.

“Who do you belong to in terms of the representation? And you are going to know, I know, if you ferry people for what, your car must be visible and your car must be branded, not private. So, our team, brothers, as you call them, abobuti, we talk with them, they just want to understand how we contain this population. How do we coexist?” says Sibongiseni Shange, Chairperson of the South African Meter Taxi & E-hailing Association.

The Gauteng e-hailing sector has emphasized that alignment with law enforcement agents will help deliver a robust safety plan for the e-hailing industry, including panic buttons, incident reporting, vetting, and public awareness campaigns.