A urgent meeting was convened on Friday between the KwaZulu-Natal Transport Department, local taxi associations, and the KZN e-hailing council in an effort to defuse tensions following violent clashes in the KwaDabeka area.
The conflict, which occurred on Thursday, resulted in the arrest of 15 taxi drivers and owners for questioning. Police confirmed the confiscation of 12 licensed firearms, with charges expected to be laid against their owners for contravening firearm safeguarding regulations.
The meeting, held at the local police station and called by the station commander, aimed to address the root cause of the altercations, which included the assault of two e-hailing drivers on Wednesday.
According to Mr. Sithembiso Khanyezi, Secretary General of the KZN E-hailing Council, the talks were productive and have “paved a way for peaceful operation” in the area. He clarified that the core issue was not a direct conflict between official taxi operators and app-based e-hailing services, but rather a case of mistaken identity.
“The confusion comes about when those operators operate as staff cars. So they are operating outside of the e-hailing app,” Khanyezi explained. “When you are an e-haler, you only use the technological e-haling app. So when you are operating outside of that, then you are no longer an e-haling.”
He stated that the local taxi association explicitly stated they have “no problems with e-halers the way they operate.” Their grievance is with individuals operating illegal “staff cars” or “omalayisha” (transporters) who are not licensed by the local association and are poaching their traditional business of transporting workers and scholars.
“The taxi industry here in KwaDabeka… did mention that they have no problems with e-halers… but they do have a problem with people who take their jobs as staff cars,” Khanyezi said.
Following the closed-door meeting, both parties agreed to forge a strategy for peaceful coexistence. The taxi association reportedly promised an end to the abuse of e-hailing drivers, committing instead to take their grievances about illegal operators directly to the police.
“The talks have been going on… They did promise that there will be no more abuse from the association to e-haling drivers,” Khanyezi confirmed, adding that e-hailing services remain operational.
The parties are scheduled for a follow-up meeting to articulate a concrete strategy to combat the tensions and ensure a lasting solution that suits the needs of both legitimate operators.
