Staff Reporter.
Gauteng MEC for Transport Jacob Mamabolo has tried to talk e-hailing drivers out of embarking on a 3-day national shutdown next week.
E-hailing drivers from Uber, Bolt, InDriver and DiDi will embark on a three day strike from Tuesday, 22 March to Thursday.
“We are appealing to the e-hailing drivers and driver partners that they must take their grievances and what the issues that they have to the mediation process.
“We believe that the mediation process will address their issues,” says Mamabolo.
He fears the shutdown could result in violence and damage to property.
“We believe that such protests, such an approach to handling disputes and conflict, only creates pain, suffering, damage, and road users and motorists get frustrated by protests that create instability on the road.
“It is not necessary to plunge the province into instability, “Mamabolo added.
The first two marches are expected to take place in Tshwane during the strike.
The drivers will head to Department of Trade and Industry and to the Union Buildings where memorandum of demands will be handed over.
In Johannesburg, marchers plan to head to Mamabolo’s office on the last day of the strike.
The drivers are demanding better pay in the light of rising petrol costs, safety measures for the industry and an end to exploitation.
“We are saying to government, regulate this industry. Regulation is not a foreign concept and seeks to protect participants within that industry.
“We are asking government to make sure we are not exploited, to make sure that organisations that operate ensure that everybody earns a decent wage.
“We have laws that protect against this, and these laws are being violated,” Public Private Transport Association spokesperson Vhathuka Mbelengwa said.