Uber is engaged in talks with meter taxi drivers to ensure peace between the two parties.
Meter taxi drivers attacked an Uber driver in Sandton‚ Johannesburg on Friday in an anti-Uber protest. Four people were injured and Uber taxis were stoned and damaged.
The company said on Thursday that tensions between their drivers and meter taxi drivers were as a result of metered taxi drivers not being aware of benefits offered to them by Uber.
“Our technology is open and pro-choice‚ and we are keen to offer it to a broad number of taxi drivers to boost their incomes‚ and we would welcome more who would wish to join their colleagues‚” Uber Sub-Saharan Africa general manager Alon Lits said.
Lits added that they were concerned about the safety of their drivers.
“We are deeply committed to the safety of our drivers on the Uber platform. Drivers benefit from many of the same transparency and accountability features that riders do‚” he said.
Lits said riders prefer the Uber service due to its up-front transparency.
“In the past‚ meter taxis would charge you varying fares. Sometimes it would depend on whether you look like a tourist or whether you know the prices or not. Uber does not do that‚ we have fixed prices that apply for everyone.”
Lits denied claims that clashes between the two parties are due to reports that Uber-associated drivers are getting their permits before meter taxi drivers due to Uber’s good relationship with Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi .
“There is no special treatment… Our drivers get permits because of a lot of engagements we have with the different stakeholders.”
The e-hailing company also said that from Thursday it will also be accepting cash payments for trips.
It said this method of payment was being introduced in response to customer demand.
“We have received numerous request through emails that we implement the cash system…This is still at experimental levels‚ but it’s nothing new with Uber globally‚” Lits said.
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