Pretoria’s inner-city traffic came to a standstill on Thursday as e-hailing operators in Gauteng staged a protest, expressing their outrage over the Tshwane metro police’s impounding of their vehicles for lacking necessary permits.

Drivers from Uber, inDrive, and Bolt protested outside Tshwane House, located on Madiba Street, where they parked their vehicles, causing traffic congestion at several intersections and disrupting the flow of traffic.

They accused the metro police officers of unfairly impounding their vehicles for lacking permits and criticised the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport for its slow pace in issuing the necessary permits.

President of the Pretoria e-hailing association, Wonder Gala, said: “The government is exacerbating our situation by demanding permits, which they have stopped issuing. When our vehicles are impounded, we are forced to pay at least R6 000 to have them released. Moreover, some corrupt officers demand bribes of R1 000 to R1 500 to let us off the hook.”

Gala, who started operating with Uber in 2014, said drivers were frustrated by the government’s shifting of requirements, saying initially all that was needed was a PrDP document, vehicle roadworthiness certificate, and a double-disc.

Traffic in Pretoria CBD was negatively affected due to the e-hailing drivers’ protest on Thursday. Picture: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers

“Fast-forward to the present, and the situation has become increasingly frustrating. The drivers are seeking government intervention to address these concerns and find a resolution,” he said.

Lwalo Nuntzeni, an e-hailer from Florida, echoed the sentiment, saying: “When you are driving to OR Tambo International Airport, you also come across the metro police in Germiston impounding vehicles. It is spreading like wildfire; from the capital city to the rest of the province.”

Mlungisi Mabuya, from the Pretoria West e-hailing association, said many operators have been holding onto receipts for payment of applications, known as ‘Olas’, for two to three years, awaiting permit processing.

He criticised the government’s handling of the situation, pointing out that permits were promised to be issued within three months, yet many operators remain in limbo after three years.

In November 2024, drivers met with Tlangi Mogale, the City of Tshwane’s Member of the Mayoral Committee responsible for roads and transport to resolve the ongoing impasse.

At the time, Mogale disclosed that the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, under MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, has a significant backlog of permit applications, with 6 100 pending and only 2 500 resolved.

To tackle the backlog, she said a crisis committee has been established, comprising the province and various municipalities, which convenes weekly to address the backlog.

Protesters refused to hand over their memorandum of grievances to her on Thursday, demanding it be received by Mayor Nasiphi Moya, who was not readily available.

Mogale said the protest was highly politicised and it contaminated a very good struggle.

“What I can also explain to you is that the majority of e-hailing operators are foreign nationals. Some of them are unable to produce the required documents. The ones that are now making noises are the ones that couldn’t do new applications,” she said.

Diale-Tlabela’s spokesperson Lesiba Mpya, was contacted for comment on the concerns raised by the drivers, but he has not responded.

Build One South Africa (BOSA) called on the National Department of Transport, the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, and the City of Tshwane to promptly address the backlog of operating licenses.

Ayanda Allie, a BOSA member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, said the party has been approached by e-hailing drivers facing harassment from Tshwane metro police who are either impounding their vehicles or soliciting bribes because they can’t produce permits.

"The South African government is failing to adapt to the realities of the digital economy. Uber, Bolt, and inDrive drivers, who play a crucial role in this economy, are being denied permits due to outdated meter taxi regulations. This lack of foresight stifles innovation and destroys job creation," she said.

rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za