Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi was assaulted by metered taxi drivers in Johannesburg on Monday shortly after he announced that his department had started the process of issuing operating licences for Uber taxis.
Vadi had just finished addressing reporters at the offices of the Transport Department in Diagonal Street in the Johannesburg city centre when he was attacked by a group of men, identified as disgruntled meter taxi drivers.
The MEC was explaining what the regulation and licensing of Uber drivers meant when the metered taxi drivers became visibly agitated. Vadi explained that the Act governing metered taxis was being amended to include technology advancement that Uber was using.
While Vadi was talking about the license application procedure he was suddenly attacked by a group of men later identified as disgruntled metered taxi drivers. They are opposed to Uber whom they accuse of taking away business from them without having the necessary operating licenses.
Vadi earlier admitted that Uber was operating in a “legal vacuum”.
Police were called in to assist to calm the crowd while Vadi was secretly escorted out.
– African News Agency (ANA)
