Cape Town e-hailing drivers frustrated over difficulties to get operating licences
By law, drivers on the road without an operating license risk having their vehicles impounded.
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CAPE TOWN - E-hailing drivers in the City of Cape Town are voicing their concerns over difficulties in obtaining operating licenses.
By law, drivers on the road without an operating license risk having their vehicles impounded.
The Western Cape E-hailing Association has expressed its disagreement with the city’s decision to impound vehicles.
Omar Parker from the association says they are calling for a more reasonable course of action to address these issues.
“We have argued for a progressive approach to be adopted when it comes to impoundment, in other words if you are found without an operating license the law should not immediately punish you and take your car, there should be a progressive kind of approach.”
Department spokesperson Muneera Allie says the city has agreed to support approximately 3,300 new operating license applications.
She explains that this will be done on a first-come, first-served basis, as that is the established quota.
“The Western Cape Mobility Department’s Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE) received in excess of 14,000 applications requesting authority to provide metered taxi and e-hailing services. The PRE proceeded to approve the full allowed quota of 3,354 new operating licenses on a first-come-first-serve basis. As a result of the quota being reached, the City of Cape Town has indicated that no further operating license applications will be supported.”