Cape Town - The Western Cape E-hailing Association said its strike action on Tuesday was a success, despite some drivers refusing to participate.
The stayaway included Uber, Bolt and Indrive riders, who were called to remain offline in protest of several grievances, forcing some customers to make alternative arrangements to get to work.
Parked off near the Cape Town International Airport, drivers said they were still operating. Inside the airport, it was business as usual as there were drivers with Uber cards, while metered-taxis were operating. Most, Zimbabwean nationals, said they were not consulted about the strike.
A driver who only identified himself as Mkonera said: “We decided to not be part of the association because we don’t see how they are going to represent us.”
Western Cape E-hailing Association secretary-general, Omar Parker, said it was not unusual for people to say they were not consulted.
“A month prior to yesterday we embarked on an awareness and outreach campaign, weekly with different national groupings and areas. It was also widely circulated in posters.”
He said there were no incidents reported during the action.
A commuter complained that she waited a long time for an e-hailing service car and had to make alternative arrangements to get to work yesterday.
Among the grievances are the “unfair” deactivation of drivers’ accounts, leaving them without income and recourse. The drivers also oppose vehicle age limits, which is Uber’s policy on a threeyear vehicle age limit.
They further said they were fighting for the safety of drivers.
Uber spokesperson said they were aware of the strike and grievances. “We are aware of the driver protests in Cape Town. We continue to have regular round table discussions with drivers across the country and are committed to working together to create a mutually beneficial environment.”
Bolt senior operations manager, Simo Kalajdzic, said they respected every driver’s right to protest.
Police spokesperson, Wesley Twigg, confirmed no incidents were reported in or around the airport, however, police would monitor the area.