E-hailing drivers go on strike in Cape Town

Drivers for e-hailing services Bolt, Uber and InDrive embarked on strike action on Tuesday demanding decisive intervention by government and the regulation of the e-hailing platforms. The work stoppage was prompted by the unfair and unilateral deactivation of drivers’ accounts by app companies, without any recourse.

Scores of the drivers, switched off their phones and marched through the streets of Cape Town, disrupting traffic on their way to hand over a memorandum of demands at the Western Cape Mobility Department.

“The biggest issue is money, and our safety as drivers. Our colleagues are being killed every day. The safety features available are not proper,” said Gugulethu-based Bolt driver, Zenande Mafenuka. “Petrol prices keep going up but the prices of the trips on Bolt remain very low. Between paying for petrol and Bolt deducting their money, we are left without any profits. We want the government to regulate these apps and recognise us as workers,” he added. 

The memorandum reads, “We, the members of the Western Cape E-Hailing Association (WCEA), come before you to express our grave concerns and long-standing grievances regarding the abusive practices of e-hailing app companies. Our members have been subjected to exploitation for over a decade, and despite multiple appeals for intervention, the situation remains dire. We stand here today, calling on the government to fulfill its responsibility and immediately start with accelerating the regulatory processes in our sector, now that the NLTA Amendment Act has been signed.”  

The drivers are also calling for the implementation of strict regulatory measures to protect them from arbitrary account deactivations and to establish clear channels for appeals and recourse. They also demanded removal of “unfair age limits”, and say the companies must take into consideration the operational safety of the vehicle rather than imposing a blanket policy imposed by the app companies

“Lack of accountability and protection for drivers: who daily face life-threatening situations, harassment, robberies, hijackings, damage to property and severe mental stress caused by criminals posing as riders. All these onslaughts while app companies reap super profits at the expense of our safety and fail to take any accountability for the damage their exploitative business model has introduced within the South African transport eco-system and the rest of the world,” they say in their memorandum. 

Keith Francis, of the WCEA, said, they are tired of the “exploitation by the app companies and have decided to act as their plight is not taken seriously”.   

Makhi Mbeki from Langa, who has been working as an e-hailing driver for more than five years, said petrol price increases have made life hard, and they have families to look after. “It is very difficult to survive off the peanuts we earn. It’s not even a benefit to drive Bolt anymore. We get very low earnings and put in a lot of work. So, we don’t get the responses, we need an intervention and for proper reforms. These companies have been exploiting us for far too long,” Mbeki told Elitsha. 

Deputy director for community outreach at the Mobility Department, Elam Nukani received and signed the memorandum. “I can assure you that this memorandum will reach the MEC. We understand your plight, and don’t take lightly your marching to this office. We know the daily challenges faced by the working class and the risks. We will respond within 14 days as you have requested of us,” he told the marchers.