Yesterday, Cape Town’s CBD erupted into chaos when Western Cape Transport and Public Works MEC Donald Grant refused to meet with representatives of the metered taxi industry.

Blocking the intersection of Wale and Long Street, they were demanding that law enforcement work on impounding unlicensed Uber taxis drivers as their activities were basically illegal.

50 metered taxis gathered to speak out against Uber.

David Drummond, the representative for the metered taxi drivers, claimed that more than half of the almost 2 000 vehicles did not have operating licences.

He said law enforcement kept impounding Uber taxis, but these vehicles kept coming back.

He said after “frustrations boiled over” yesterday, metered taxi drivers decided to block some roads to get the attention of the government.

Drummond said the metered taxi industry had met Western Cape Transport and Public Works MEC Donald Grant to raise their concerns, but had heard nothing since, even though they had been promised a response within two weeks.

“The (metered taxi) industry itself is not against innovation and technology, but it must happen through the proper legal routes.”

While many metered taxis drivers have indeed lost their livelihood, there are so many more metered taxis that are unregistered – and dangerous.

One prime example is upper Long Street. Unregistered metered taxis cruise the street in an attempt to gain any customers, and their vehicles are often on the side of falling apart.

Also, when you need to be picked up and you call a metered taxi, they can take forever to arrive.

Uber is direct, on point, and on time – and is even available in Fish Hoek.

Here are some images from the protest:

[source: iol]