Taxi industry joins e-hailing officials in condemning violence

Some e-hailing drivers have claimed that individuals posing as taxi association members have coerced and threatened them to download the new Shesha App.

There are also claims of passengers allegedly forced out of vehicles and ordered to find alternative transport in some instances.

“As drivers we don’t have a problem with Shesha, but the problem is one, why do they have to force us to join Shesha and they know there aren’t clients for Shesha. When we compare it with Uber and Bolt and be on the platform for 30 minutes, their [will be no] requests but on Bolt, Uber and Indrive you can get plus or minus six trips. Why are they supposed to force us, sometimes they block us on the road and when they check my car and you don’t have a sticker for Shesha, they beat us hey because you know the business is a competition. They are supposed to market their App Shesha,” says e-hailing driver Rudzani Munyai.

Those in the taxi industry say this are criminal cases that are being investigated with some implicated members facing the music.

“It so happened that it was Santaco Association members but I can tell you precisely how the disciplinary process went, they have identified those seen on this video and punitive measures were taken against them. We’ve also sent out a strong message to all would be perpetrators of such barbaric violence to refrain from such and we invite law enforcement agencies to play their part and urge the community masses to report all these incidents of intimidation and violence,” says NTA’s Theo Malele.

Video: Violence in e-hailing sector condemned

With safety as a major concern among the country’s e-hailing services, Shesha has roped in banks and the Department of Home Affairs to help verify users and driver identities with the public urged to take photos, video and registration numbers of extortionists and report this to the police.

Shesha App officials say the more diversified the market, the better it will be for users and drivers even in job creation.

The service provider says going forward, a big emphasis will be on the safety of users and drivers calling for the public to blow the whistle and report incidents to the police and taxi associations as government works to formalize the sector.