Gauteng e-hailing structures partner with metro police depts to formalise safety plans for industry

The South African Meter Taxi and E-Hailing Association, alongside the Gauteng E-Hailing Services, announced this during a media briefing on Wednesday.

Gauteng e-hailing structures have partnered with the metropolitan police departments in the province to formulate safety plans for the industry.

The South African Meter Taxi and E-Hailing Association, alongside the Gauteng E-Hailing Services (GES), announced this during a media briefing on Wednesday.

The structure highlighted the need for regulation and formalisation in the sector to protect the interests of e-hailing operators and riders.

The collective’s chairperson, Thato Ramaila, stressed that the unification of operators can help the industry move forward and become a safe and compliant sector.

“Safety in e-hailing is a shared responsibility. GS is in partnering with SAPS, Metropolis, CPF structures, private security, and platform companies to deliver a robust safety plan that includes mostly panic buttons that are linked to rapid response teams, centralised incidents reporting system, vetting and registration of compliant operators, [and] vehicle tracking and roadside assistance partnership.”

GES warned that the lack of regulations in the industry opens the door to criminality.

Ramaila said drivers need to apply for operating permits to comply with the National Land and Transport Act.

The chairperson stressed the importance of formalising the sector to create accountability channels which customers, as well as drivers, can always go to.

He also added that with regulations in place, operators will not be left vulnerable.

“Without regulation, without formalisation, the app companies, the app regulation fails when operators are not formalised. Members will forever be striking, will forever be going on the street, asking questions that nobody can answer. Most people need to understand that when it comes to an app, apps are service providers. They are not the public transport service providers. The operators are the public transport providers.”