The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has alluded to taking over local operations from Uber and introducing both food and parcel deliveries.
During the council’s recently concluded 8th National Elective Conference, re-elected Santaco President Motlhabane Abnar Tsebe called it a defining moment in the history of the taxi industry.
“It was not an easy journey from when we started to now, and it remains a demanding journey today,” he declared.
Tsebe highlighted that the taxi industry has faced several challenges over the last 25 years, including route disputes, violence, economic pressure and questions about the sustainability of its business model
“Today we are not only preserving unity we are actively working towards greater uniformity professionalism and long-term sustainability,” he added.
Touching on the progress of the industry, Tsebe recalled the 2020 National Taxi Lekgotla, shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic, during which it was decided that the taxi industry would evolve into a formal transport sector participant.
A part of the taxi industrty’s deeper integration into South Africa’s public transport system includes the expansion of its responsibilities.
As a result, Tsebe noted that Santaco is currently engaging with e-hailing giant Uber’s local branch to take over responsibility for its local services.
He warned operators that they would soon be without passengers due to an increase in retail offerings within townships.
“You can see where we are going, they are building malls in your townships, so if you are operating between a township and town very very soon you’ll have no passengers,” Tsebe said.
“We had start moving parcels as well as groceries, and we must stop complaining.”
“We must do something about these things because they happen in front of us, so we must not be caught sleeping and complaining. We need to start working on these programs.”
Tsebe noted that Santaco has been included in these discussions by the South African Metered Taxi and E-Hailing Association (Samtea).
Competing with a global player
Should the South African taxi industry succeed in taking over operations from Uber, it will have big boots to fill.
Earlier this year, the US-headquartered e-hailing giant pledged R5 billion towards improving mobility and delivery services in South Africa.
Uber’s General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, Deepesh Thomas, told the South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC) that it would cus on how investments impact people on the ground.
“At Uber, we believe that the true measure of an investment is not the figure typed into a spreadsheet, but the heartbeat of the economy it sustains,” he said.
“It is found in the student in Mamelodi reaching an exam on time; the restaurant owner in Soweto reaching new customers via a digital storefront, and the driver-partner building a family legacy, one trip at a time.”
Uber expects its commitment to expand earning opportunities across the platform, particularly for drivers, delivery partners, and small businesses.
More than 100,000 South African earners are already using the platform, with new investment expected to lower the barriers of entry through fuel incentives and vehicle finance support.
Uber noted that its investment will continue to support small businesses in South Africa, as it already does through government partnerships.
Alongside the Gauteng Department of Economic Development, it has digitised over 2,000 township enterprises to reach more customers through delivery services such as Uber Eats.
Part of the R5 billion investment includes innovations tailored to local conditions, including the expansion of motorcycle services and investment in electric vehicles.
“We are expanding Uber Moto to provide affordable, last-mile connectivity in areas where traditional public transport may not reach,” said Thomas.
“We are also doubling down on our ‘Green’ initiatives, partnering with fleet providers to accelerate the rollout of Electric Vehicles and alternative vehicle financing models, such as our work with Moove.”
Loading ...
