Mother of all Uber shutdowns to hit South Africa
The National E-Hailing Federation of South Africa (NEFSA) has warned that e-hailing drivers are preparing for a national strike over working conditions in South Africa.
This is the message from Elijah Uhuru Lekgowane, President of NEFSA, who has confirmed that a national e-hailing strike is imminent.
This comes shortly after e-hailing drivers in Johannesburg said they were planning a shutdown this month to protest ongoing issues such as Uber’s commission percentages and unprofitable fares.
Drivers warned that people who use services like Uber and Bolt in Johannesburg should organise alternative transport.
Drivers have reportedly said the strike will continue until their grievances are heard and their pricing demands are met.
Prices and commissions on e-hailing platforms have been a long-standing issue, with drivers organising regular protests for higher pay.
Now, drivers across the country are preparing to protest against what they describe as exploitative conditions and unfair treatment by e-hailing companies and the government.
E-hailing services form a huge part of the transport landscape in and around our cities. They’ve become a key way to move, whether shopping, visiting friends, or getting home safely after a night out.
Lekgowane explained that more and more South Africans are turning to these services because buying and maintaining a vehicle is simply unaffordable.
However, despite their growing importance, e-hailing drivers say they are being pushed to the brink.
“We’ve seen a 35% slashing of fares since 2016, and now drivers are being deactivated without due process,” Lekgowane said.
“On top of that, the platforms are phasing out vehicles older than five years, even if drivers still owe money to the banks on those cars. It’s completely unreasonable.”
According to Lekgowane, NEFSA has been organising behind-the-scenes coordination of this action at a national level, which marks a shift from past protests.
“Previously, provinces and regions would protest on their own. This time, we are consolidating our efforts nationally. The mother of all protest actions is about to hit the country—sooner rather than later.”
Drivers can’t continue under the current circumstances
He added that NEFSA’s demands are clear and urgent. “We’re calling for a restructuring of the pricing index. That’s central,” he said.
“We’re also demanding an immediate stop to the deactivation and harassment of our drivers, especially when they go on strike.”
“Some of our members have already received emails threatening them with deactivation just for participating in a legal protest.”
Another critical issue is the forced phasing out of vehicles from the platforms. Lekgowane said the policy must stop immediately. Many of our drivers are still locked into financial agreements for these vehicles.
NEFSA is also directing strong criticism at the South African government. “Our government seems to be conniving and conspiring with these companies,” Lekgowane said.
Asked when the strike will take place, Lekgowane said a national coordinating committee meeting is scheduled to take place soon.
“We’re bringing all the provinces together to plan the action. At the moment, we can’t say the strike will happen tomorrow, but what I can guarantee is that national action is coming,” he said.
“Right now, we are running a charity and can’t afford it anymore. We are saying to the app companies: if we can’t make earnings, you can’t make a profit. It’s as simple as that.”
Lekgowane stressed the real-life impact of the current conditions on drivers. “You see drivers sleeping in their cars at 02h00, waiting for work, so that they can put food on the table. This has become a major problem. Something has to change.”
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