#Uber: South Africans take to Twitter to support attacked Sandton drivers

sandton uber

Three cars were torched in Sandton Thursday evening in a suspected protest between metered taxi drivers and Uber.

According to provincial spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo, preliminary investigations showed two of the cars belonged to Uber, and the third was a metered taxi. No one was harmed.

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Images and videos of the incident poured onto Twitter as #Uber hit top trending spot nationally.

Uber has called the situation “unacceptable.” 

The tension between metered taxis and the app has been growing for months. Taxi associations have called the app illegal, claiming uncompetitive pricing and a lack of driver permits.

In July, Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi confirmed government was considering including e-hailing services in the National Land Transport Act. The announcement came after an Uber driver died from wounds inflicted by metered taxi drivers.

South Africans took to Twitter to offer their support for Uber drivers, who they believe offer a better product.

Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba said that what happened Thursday night was “outside [his] direct jurisdiction”, but many were unimpressed with the response.

Mashaba wasn’t the only politician hit with public scorn — Police Minister Fikile Mbalula tweeted a joke about a cauliflower burger and many thought his timing was insensitive.

Featured image: screengrab, Graeme Hosken via Twitter

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