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Daily Maverick
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Maverick
E-hailing drivers demand action over frozen licence approvals while impoundment fees soar
E-hailing drivers in Cape Town are considering legal action after the City froze licence approvals, leaving them vulnerable to having their vehicles impounded. E-hailing drivers are up in arms over the City of Cape Town freezing the approval of additional licences since the end of March, when the City claimed it had met its 'full allowed quota' of 3,354 licences. It had received more than 14,000 applications. The City and Western Cape Mobility Department, community and industry groups have been meeting to determine the next steps, with drivers complaining that they have to pay exorbitant impoundment fees for operating without licences. Looking forward, Councillor Rob Quintas, a member of the City's Mayoral Committee for Urban Mobility, told Daily Maverick: 'The revised supply and demand for metered taxi services, which includes e-hailing, has been determined. 'The City will be presenting the revised metered taxi supply and demand numbers at a Special Metered Taxi Intermodal Planning Sub-Committee meeting on 17 June 2025, and will make this information available to the public.' Western Cape Mobility Department spokesperson Muneera Allie said: 'Once approval is given (to the Permit Regulatory Entity by the City for additional applicants), and a quota is determined… applications will be handled on a first-come-first-served basis.' E-hailing drivers are required to have an operating licence or risk their cars being impounded by the City, due to an amendment to the National Land Transport Act signed in June 2024. If there is a continued shortage of operating licences, the Western Cape E-Hailing Association (WCEA) is considering taking the Western Cape Permit Regulatory Entity and City of Cape Town to court to call for a pause on impoundments until the permitting system is reformed. A court ruled in favor of e-hailing drivers in a similar case in Pretoria. There, drivers proved it was 'impossible' to obtain a permit due to City backlogs. The association also calls on the regulatory entity to stop taking applications and application fees before new permits open up. Quintas clarified: 'Legally, the regulatory entity cannot refuse to accept applications even if the upper limit of the City's supply and demand numbers have been saturated already. Therefore, the operators apply at their own risk.' The 'trauma' of impoundment Drivers in Cape Town have been feeling the impact of impoundments as the City stalls in approving new operating licences. The impoundment fees are high. One driver, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of being blocked from driving, said: 'The fees were R7,500, R2,500, and R1,000 — totalling R11,000 in one go. The car is financed, and once it was impounded, I couldn't make the instalment, couldn't pay for the business insurance, and couldn't raise money to get the car released. It's a trauma I can never forget.' According to the City of Cape Town's website: 'The impoundment fee is for the initial storage, hooking, salvaging and administration costs for the vehicle's impoundment… The fee increases for first, second and third offences.' In addition, drivers must pay for any outstanding fines before receiving their vehicle. Immediately, drivers feel the impact of impoundment. A driver said: 'I was impounded at 8.45am, 15km away from home, with no money on me. I had to walk home through unsafe areas. The police don't care how you get back — they just take your car… Where is the dignity?' In the long term, these fees can be devastating. According to the Deputy Secretary-General of the Western Cape E-hailing Association, Yusuf Dahir, a driver who works for 12 hours a day (the maximum allowed for Uber) earns approximately R1,000/day or R7,000/week. An estimated 80 to 90% of drivers do not own their vehicles. In general, R2,000-R3,000 of their weekly income goes to rent or weekly commission for the vehicle and R2,000 goes to petrol, leaving drivers with about R2,000 to take home at the end of the week. With this reality, the R10,000 impoundment fee is enormous. Drivers recognise that operating without licences is unlawful. Another driver said, 'All we ask is for the City of Cape Town to allow us to apply for e-hailing permits — and approve them. We want to feed our families through honest work.' But drivers are frustrated at the inability to acquire the necessary legal permits, and increasingly feel that the City is using them as a cash cow to collect impoundment fees. At the same time, Uber, Bolt, and other e-hailing services continue to allow new drivers to join the platforms, further allowing the cycle to continue. 'Equitable balance' According to the Mobility Department's Allie, the number of permits allotted in the quota is determined to 'ensure an equitable balance between the demand and supply of metered taxi and e-hailing services'. While applications may be accepted, the regulatory entity has informed applicants that operating licences may only be issued once approval for additional applications is received. According to Maxine Bezuidenhout, the spokesperson for the City of Cape Town's Traffic Services, 42 e-hailing vehicles were impounded in April 2025, and 45 had been impounded by 30 May. Drivers can request reimbursement for the impoundment fees from Uber, but still have to pay the fee up front. Dahir says it often takes days, if not weeks, for Uber to pay out. 'It is likely they will not reimburse.' Dahir also shared concerns about how Uber gathers funds for the impoundment fees. Dahir claimed the money did not come out of pocket for Uber. Instead, according to the drivers, Uber deducted additional fees — beyond its commission — from the driver before their cars were impounded, and used that money to reimburse them for the impoundment fees. For example, according to the drivers, there were additional, 'ever-increasing' fees for accepting rides to, and pick-ups from, airports and unexplained additional deductions at the end of trips. In short, they claimed that Uber was not really paying for the impoundment fees, but rather taking it from the driver in advance through these fees. Uber 'aware of challenges' When asked directly about how the reimbursement process worked, an Uber South Africa spokesperson said in a statement: 'Uber would like to refute the claims made by the drivers. We unequivocally maintain that these claims are unfounded.' In addition, the spokesperson said: 'Uber is aware of the challenges drivers are facing in Cape Town and remains committed to supporting them while engaging relevant stakeholders. Our goal is to ensure a sustainable and inclusive approach to mobility that supports both economic opportunity and safe, reliable transport options in Cape Town.' In response to an inquiry from Daily Maverick that Uber seems to be supporting drivers operating without licences by offering to pay their impoundment fees, Quintas responded: 'Paying someone else's fine or impoundment fee is not necessarily the illegal act.' Further, Quintas appeared to defend Uber and Bolt's practice of onboarding and recruiting new drivers without the possibility of permits being granted. He said: 'E-hailing platform providers have over the years marketed their services to operators and drivers without making an operating licence a compulsory requirement to operate on their platforms. Thus, they onboard operators/drivers and allow them to operate without having a valid operating licence… It seems to be a universal practice by all e-hailing platforms to onboard operators without operating licences.'
Eyewitness News
11-05-2025
- Health
- Eyewitness News
WC govt says road safety starts with each user
CAPE TOWN - As road deaths continue to claim thousands of lives each year, the Western Cape government said road safety starts with each road user. The message comes ahead of Global Road Safety Week which gets underway on Monday under the theme, 'Make walking and cycling safe'. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), road traffic injuries remain a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, with nearly 1.2 million people killed and around 50 million injured every year. Authorities are using the week-long campaign to remind the public that even small decisions -including slowing down, staying sober, and staying alert can make a life-saving difference. The spokesperson for the provincial mobility department, Muneera Allie, said the campaign is a chance to push for meaningful change on the roads. 'Every life lost on our roads is one too many. Pedestrians and cyclists remain among the most vulnerable, and the number of drunk driving arrests is deeply troubling. Behind every incident is a real person - a parent, a child, a friend, neighbour or colleague.'
The Citizen
08-05-2025
- The Citizen
18 lives lost and high speeding offences recorded on WC roads
Authorities issued more than 8 000 fines and made 128 arrests, 86 of which were for driving under the influence of alcohol. The Western Cape Government has raised the alarm after a grim week on the province's roads. It was revealed on Wednesday that 16 fatal crashes occurred between 29 April and 4 May 2025, claiming the lives of 18 people. Authorities have linked the majority of these incidents to reckless driving, alcohol use, and excessive speed. Spike in fatal crashes 'These statistics should not just shock us – they should spur us into action,' said Muneera Allie, head of communication at the Western Cape Mobility Department. 'In the past week, 16 crashes could have been avoided, and 18 lives could have been saved.' The latest figures underscore the urgent need for road users to follow traffic regulations, especially as the province continues to grapple with loss of life caused by human error and poor judgement behind the wheel. ALSO READ: Five people killed in horror accident, north of Durban in KZN [VIDEO] Alarming speeding violations Provincial Traffic Services recorded 267 speeding offences during the week-long period, with several drivers clocked at dangerously high speeds: 163km/h in a 120km/h zone 139km/h in a 100km/h zone 124km/h in an 80km/h zone 114km/h in a 70km/h zone 104km/h in a 60km/h zone 'These shocking speeds not only endanger the lives of drivers, but also those of passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists,' the department stated. Speeding significantly increases the risk of fatal accidents by reducing reaction time and increasing stopping distances. Tips to avoid speeding The Mobility Department has encouraged motorists to follow the safety tips below: Plan your journey and allow extra time to reach your destination. Pay attention to speed limit signs and road conditions. Avoid distractions and stay focused on the road. Be mindful of the weather and traffic, and adjust your speed accordingly. ALSO READ: Easter road fatalities down, but pedestrian deaths still a major concern Widespread enforcement efforts According to the department, 238 integrated enforcement operations were carried out during the week across the province. These included roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints, and speed control initiatives. More than 36 000 vehicles were stopped and checked. Authorities issued more than 8 000 fines for various offences and made 128 arrests, 86 of which were for driving under the influence of alcohol. The department has reiterated that road safety is a shared responsibility. 'Too many of these incidents are due to human error and a disregard for rules that are intended to protect us all,' Allie added. NOW READ: RTMC team deployed to probe deadly Eastern Cape crash
News24
08-05-2025
- News24
A ‘24/7 focus' is needed as 18 people die on Western Cape roads in less than a week
Eighteen people have been killed in road accidents in the Western Cape in less than a week. Most of the fatalities were recorded in the City of Cape Town. In addition, 267 speeding offences were recorded. In less than a week, 18 people have been killed in 16 crashes on Western Cape roads, according to the provincial mobility department. Thirteen of the 18 people were killed in the City of Cape Town. In addition, authorities recorded 267 speeding violations, including 163km/h in a 120km/h zone, 139km/h in a 100km/h zone, 124km/h in an 80km/h zone and 114km/h in a 70km/h zone. Department spokesperson Muneera Allie said the statistics, captured from 29 April to 4 May 2025, reflected the harsh reality of the consequences of reckless and negligent driving. If motorists had been more vigilant on the roads, the 16 crashes could have been avoided and 18 lives could have been saved, she added. Referring to the speeding violations, she said: 'These shocking speeds not only endanger the lives of drivers, but also those of passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists. 'Speeding increases the likelihood of losing control of a vehicle, reduces the effectiveness of protective equipment, and increases stopping distances, ultimately raising the risk and severity of incidents.' Over the past week, Western Cape traffic officials conducted 238 integrated operations, including roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints, and speed control initiatives. More than 36 000 vehicles were stopped and checked, 128 arrests were made, and more than 8 000 fines were issued. Allie said that 86 of the arrests were for driving under the influence of alcohol. Arrive Alive's Johan Jonck said the statistics showed the need for a '24/7 focus on road safety'. 'The roads do not become safer when Easter or the festive season comes to an end,' he said. Jonck cautioned motorists to be vigilant on the roads and mindful of other motorists.
The Herald
30-04-2025
- The Herald
Western Cape reports more than 30 road deaths after Easter weekend
More than 30 lives were lost due to road fatalities and drunk driving incidents after the Easter long weekend in the Western Cape. The province's mobility department said it is deeply concerned about the high numbers between April 22 and 28 and reported 33 people died, including 19 pedestrians. ' With schools on holiday and another long weekend approaching, all road users, specially drivers and pedestrians, are urged to take greater responsibility for safety,' said mobility spokesperson Muneera Allie. 'Our province continues to lose far too many lives on the roads, particularly among pedestrians, who remain the most vulnerable group. We are also gravely concerned about the persistently high number of drunk driving arrests. ' The province reported 96 motorists were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. Tips for drivers: Always slow down in residential areas and near schools. Be extra cautious at night and in poor visibility conditions. Many pedestrian incidents occur after dark. Never drink and drive. If you plan to drink, designate a sober driver or use public transport or ride-hailing transport. Tips for pedestrians: Cross only at designated pedestrian crossings and intersections. Wear visible or reflective clothing when walking, specially at night. Avoid walking on roads while under the influence of alcohol. ' The Western Cape mobility department's traffic law enforcement is working closely with municipalities and safety partners to increase visibility and enforcement during the high-risk period. Public awareness and individual responsibility, however, remain key to saving lives,' said Allie. 'These are not only statistics, they represent families, communities and futures lost. We call on all road users to exercise extreme caution and make safety a priority.' TimesLIVE
