Gauteng prepares to launch government-initiated e-hailing platform to enhance commuter safety

Gauteng MEC for transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela has revealed that the province is working towards establishing its own e-hailing platform.

Diale-Tlabela met with the management of the Maponya Mall, taxi drivers, and representatives from the e-hailing industry ahead of her visit to the Mvelase family, which lost its son following an attack against e-hailing drivers at the mall last Wednesday.

IOL reported that the family of Siyanda Mthokozisi Mvelase, 27, an e-hailing driver who was shot and burned at Maponya Mall last week, is still in shock after the e-hailing company Uber said it had no record of him working as a driver on its platform.

Diale said this platform will ensure the safety of commuters as it will eradicate criminality associated with this transport service.

"It is now time for a Gauteng-based e-hailing app. There is no one way that we will allow young women to cry out about their safety, as safety and crime have become a huge challenge because some apps are notorious for crime. We are held responsible by the government. We are saying as government, let us work on our e-hailing app so we can end the crime in our province," she said.

Diale-Tlabela said while her provincial government awaits a final determination from the national Department of Transport, her department will forge ahead with plans to formalise the e-hailing sector, which remains highly informal and unregulated.

She said a government-led e-hailing platform will also ensure jobs for young people.

"A government-led platform will be a first for Gauteng and will assist in creating jobs for young people. We are now calling on the e-hailing industry to say, 'let us organise ourselves in a better manner'. We want to know who is operating, as this can't be free for all, as there are too many illegal operators," she said.

Reacting to the announcement, Chairperson of the Gauteng E-hailing Services, Mpho Hlahla, welcomed the news, saying a government-led app will help regulate and minimise criminal elements that have made the e-hailing transport sector a challenge to operate in.

"We welcome the intention by the MEC to establish a government-led e-hailing platform and feel this will help eliminate criminality that is so prevalent in the sector. There are too many unregistered and unregulated e-hailing service providers, which results in crime committed by both drivers and customers. As things stand, there have been no less than 12 e-hailing drivers who have been killed here in the province in the last few months, with four of them having been killed this month," he said.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za