Police have been deployed to sites in Johannesburg to quell growing violence between Uber drivers and metered taxi operators.

Two cars operated by Uber drivers were torched on Thursday night outside a shopping mall in the upmarket suburb of Sandton in the latest round of clashes in South Africa’s commercial capital. A metered taxi was reportedly attacked early on Friday morning.

A police spokesperson said the deployment of public order forces was aimed to safeguard commuters. Sandton is a transport and business hub as well as a commercial centre.

There have been periodic clashes between Uber drivers and metered taxi drivers across South Africa since the ride-hailing app was introduced in the country four years ago.

In June an Uber driver died after sustaining serious burns when his car was set alight by a group of men believed to be taxi drivers.

Jonathan Ayache, Uber’s general manager in South Africa, said the most recent violence was “completely unacceptable” .

“I can’t imagine how frustrated Uber drivers must be at the moment ... It’s been consistent violence against them for months and all that they want to do is earn an income to provide for their families without fear of violence and intimidation ... But any form of retaliation is unacceptable and it’s against our company guidelines,” he told local reporters.

Joe Maswanganyi, the transport minister, said perpetrators of violence and intimidation would be dealt with “in terms of the applicable laws”.



Uber has expanded rapidly in Johannesburg, a sprawling city where there is huge demand for convenient, cheap and reliable transport. Metered taxis are expensive, difficult to find and not always properly maintained.

Uber has attracted more than 500,000 users and 4,000 drivers across South Africa since its 2013 launch. The service has spread to 14 African cities across eight countries.

Uber has triggered protests across the globe, including in London, Hungary and Delhi, as it upends traditional business models that require professional drivers to pay often expensive licensing fees.

In February, clashes erupted at a taxi drivers’ protest in Rome, while in France last year police fired teargas at striking taxi drivers in an effort to maintain order. There was also violence at demonstrations in Mexico and Indonesia.

In March taxi drivers blocked roads to Johannesburg’s airport, holding up thousands of travellers.

“Uber is illegal,” Reuben Mzayiya, a spokesman for the metered taxi business in Gauteng province, said after the protest.

“If you want to operate, you must register with the department of transport and fulfil all the requirements. Uber doesn’t do all those things. It just operates a parallel structure with a fraction of what we are charging.”

Uber in South Africa has hired security firms to respond to calls from drivers facing attacks and hired additional security teams in areas where intimidation has been reported.

The company has been hit by repeated controversies, including allegations of sexual harassment, underpaying drivers, and false advertising. Travis Kalanick, its CEO, was recently forced to step down.