Internet ride-sharing service Uber wants government to formally introduce a category that would cater to transporters who use technology.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Uber headed to parliament to present its case to the portfolio committee on transport.<\/p>\n
Uber briefed the committee on the internet ride-sharing service\u2019s background, business model and the challenges it has faced in South Africa.<\/p>\n
“Part of what we’re trying to push for is an amendment to that National Land and Transport Act to introduce a new standalone category,\u201d Uber\u2019s head of sub-Saharan Africa, Alon Lits, told Fin24 on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Lits explained to Fin24 that Uber, which uses e-hailing technology, doesn\u2019t fit neatly into current categories such as metered taxi or chartered service licences.<\/p>\n
Uber therefore wants the National Land and Transport Act to include a category called ‘transport network operator’.<\/p>\n
\u201cA transport network operator can be someone who is using technology as lead generation,\u201d Lits told Fin24.<\/p>\n
Lits explained that a transport network operator licence could also be applied for by other companies and drivers that use technology in the transport space.<\/p>\n
Uber\u2019s appearance in parliament this week came after the service has been in the spotlight in South Africa this year.<\/p>\n
In June, Uber\u2019s Lits said Cape Town traffic officials have impounded over 200 Uber cars this year because drivers for the internet service did not meet metered taxi permit regulations.<\/p>\n
However, the Western Cape government granted over 100 metered taxi licences to Uber drivers in July.<\/p>\n
The City of Cape Town said it further plans to introduce an e-hailing bylaw to cater for the likes of Uber, but Lits told Fin24 that this would be a \u201cshort-term solution\u201d because e-hailing is a sub-category of metered taxi regulations.<\/p>\n
Gauteng MEC for Transport Ismail Vadi also said in July that Uber must comply with metered taxi requirements in cities such as Johannesburg and Pretoria.<\/p>\n
This call came after alleged intimidation from metered taxi drivers towards Uber partners.<\/p>\n
Lits told Fin24 that Uber planned to have more discussions with the province in the light of Vadi\u2019s recent comments.<\/p>\n
But the province has yet to provide clarity on what could happen to Uber drivers who previously applied for charter service licences, Lits said.<\/p>\n
New Uber drivers in Gauteng, though, are also applying for both charter and metered licences.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are some that are applying for charter services and others that are applying for metered taxis,\u201d Lits said.<\/p>\n
Cape Town and Johannesburg are not the only cities in the world where Uber has come under pressure from regulators and rival taxi firms.<\/p>\n
In South Korea\u2019s Seoul, officials have said the internet ride-sharing service is illegal, while metered taxi drivers in Paris took to burning cars earlier this year to express their anger at Uber.<\/p>\n
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