The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has committed to working with the e-hailing companies, such as Bolt, Teksi Ride, and Shuma Ride.
These emerged during a meeting between the council along with its affiliate body, the South African Meter Taxi and E-Hailing Association (SAMTEA), and e-hailing companies.
The council is optimistic that this cooperation is a start of important work to ensure that the taxi industry and e-hailing platforms operate in harmony and with mutual respect.
The agreement follows last month’s signing of regulations that officially recognize the e-hailing sector as a legal mode of public transport in the country by the department of Transport.
“The aim was to begin building a shared understanding and to promote cordial working relations between the traditional taxi sector and app-based transport services.
“All parties present agreed to work collaboratively in moving the industry forward.
“One of the key areas of focus discussed was driver and passenger safety, particularly considering the new regulations that emphasize the need for panic buttons and other safety mechanisms,” said SANTACO spokesperson, Rebecca Phala.
In addition, Phala said the e-hailing companies expressed commitment to working together to enhance safety standards across all platforms.
The landmark meeting comes two months after the brutal killing of an e-hailing driver, allegedly by taxi operators, and growing tension between the two sectors.
According to the spokesperson, the meeting also opened the door for future initiatives, including exploring enterprise development opportunities for e-hailing operators and drivers.
“Promoting inclusion of e-hailing into the broader formalization goals set out by the 2020 Taxi Lekgotla, establishing a working group committee that will guide cooperation and implementation going forward.
“This meeting marked a first of its kind and set a positive tone for future engagements,” explained Phala.
Both SANTACO and SAMTEA hope to bring more app-based companies on board to ensure harmony and cooperation in the sector.
