The e-hailing sector said it was relieved they don’t have to spend more than R3000 for a sealed metre after it was scrapped by the Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE). Picture: Tracey Adams/African News Agency (ANA)
Cape Town - The Western Cape E-hailing Association (WCEA) is demanding the reimbursement of the money it paid for the sealed meters which were a requirement for the sector.
In a statement, the association said it welcomed the scrapping of the condition.
Spokesperson Keith Francis said: “We welcome the decision of the PRE (Provincial Regulatory Entity) to scrap the condition that was imposed for the installation of a sealed meter as a requirement to uplift the operating licence for the e-hailing sector.
“We believe this decision comes as no accident or demonstration of goodwill on the part of the authorities. The practice note of 2015, issued by the National Department of Transport, is very clear in its directive regarding this contentious matter, a matter of concern that was raised by the association on several occasions.
“A condition that imposes unfair and extra financial burdens on operators who are already struggling to make ends meet against ever-escalating fuel hikes. A condition that was clearly acknowledged by PRE officials last year as being unnecessary, but it transpired that later they deemed it necessary to impose the condition nonetheless.”
Francis said that when the cash was introduced in the sector, operators had to buy meters that would cost about R4 000 including installation.
“We told them we don’t need that because we use our cellphones.
Some of our drivers’ vehicles were impounded because they didn’t have meters, even though they had licences to operate. It was so bad.
“On Tuesday, we were told they are dropping the condition and we could go and get our operational licences.”
Francis said it was shocking and misleading that PRE was now claiming it had become aware of a shortage of these meters country-wide.
“It becomes even more concerning that when we posed the question to the national Transport Department during the public consultative conference referred to above, there was deafening silence from the department’s side on this question.
“We do acknowledge that the department may subsequently have made some interventions to bring the provincial PRE to its senses to waive the unfair and unlawful condition to have sealed meters further imposed on us,” he said.
Francis said although they were relieved about the scrapping, there were other concerns.
“There are still serious concerns regarding the recovery of financial losses operators have suffered due to this draconian condition to comply with something that was not even necessary in the first place.
“In addition hereto is also the concern of the prejudice some of our operators have suffered through impoundments due to their failure to have the sealed meter in their vehicles,” he said.
The WCEA demands that the provincial government reimburse all e-hailing applicants for the purchase and installation of a sealed meter. To allocate more permits slots specifically for the e-hailing sector. To ensure that its consultative structures are inclusive and not only limited to a privileged few.
“As WCEA, we reserve all our rights to seek recourse by any justifiable means necessary to secure the interest of our members and operators in general,” Francis said.
The Western Cape Mobility Department said it would provide a response this morning.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za