JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, July 8 (UPI) -- Tensions in Johannesburg, South Africa, between taxi drivers and the ride-share service Uber have let to Uber requests for police protection.
The heavily-regulated taxi drivers, whose organization stems from South Africa's days of apartheid and black citizens' inability to find available taxis, object to Uber's capability, through its cellphone app, to undercut taxi fares in the city. Several Uber users last week reported harassment by taxi drivers, to the point they abandoned their Uber appointments and took taxis around the city.
"Recent intimidation...only underlines why people are increasingly choosing safe, reliable alternatives like Uber," the San Francisco-based company, which operates in 57 countries, wrote on its website.
At stake is the hard-earned patronage of taxi riders in a city which, for years, neglected the needs of the majority of its residents. The tense climate has become a battle between entrenched, certified taxi drivers and an upstart business model which typically undercuts the cost of a ride by two-thirds.
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Uber customer Melinda Bason told of an incident in which a driver was frightened away from driving her and her husband, saying, "They (taxi drivers) grabbed the keys from the ignition, intimidating him. There was a gun involved and intimidation with that weapon."
Alon Lits, Uber executive in Johannesburg, said Uber drivers remain working, although "there have been isolated incidences. It's not widespread."
Uber has asked the Johannesburg police to protect its drivers, who do not carry weapons.
The backlash from taxi drivers is an indication of Uber's growth in South Africa; two million Uber fares were requested in the first half of 2015, compared to one million in all of 2014. It is also typical of cities around the world, where Uber's arrival has signaled fights with regulators and competition.
