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E-Hailing Services Unite Against Tshwane’s Vehicle Impoundments Despite Wanatu’s Controversial Hiring Policy
E-hailing organizations have united in the legal battle initiated by Wanatu last week against Tshwane authorities over the impoundment of their vehicles. Despite controversy surrounding Wanatu’s Afrikaans-only hiring policy, other companies have expressed their support for the legal action.
The issue arose after a protest by e-hailing drivers who accused metro police officers of unfairly impounding their vehicles. The incident sparked an online debate, with many social media users accusing the City of Tshwane of favoring Wanatu. However, after conducting investigations, the city found that several Wanatu drivers were operating without permits, leading to the impounding of their vehicles.
Wanatu’s CEO, Judith van der Walt, announced that the company would take legal action to advocate for e-hailing drivers’ rights. “If you’re an e-hailing driver and cannot represent yourself, join our application. We’re finalizing documents today, so contact us urgently to participate,” she urged. Van der Walt emphasized that all e-hailing drivers, including those from Bolt, Uber, and inDrive, were welcome to join the legal action.
Also Read: Pretoria E-hailing Drivers Stage Protest Over Permit Delays and Impoundments
In an interview with The Star, Wander Rala, President of Pretoria West E-Hailing, expressed frustration over Wanatu’s exclusive Afrikaans-speaking hiring policy. “We are not happy with Wanatu’s policy of hiring only Afrikaans-speaking individuals. This creates division and brings racism into our society. In this new South Africa, companies need to be inclusive; language should not be a barrier to employment,” he stated.
While Pretoria West E-Hailing does not support Wanatu’s hiring policy, Rala made it clear that they would join forces with Wanatu to fight for the rights of e-hailing drivers. He emphasized that drivers, not companies, are the ones suffering from the ongoing vehicle impoundments.
Mlungisi Mabuya, Secretary General for Pretoria West E-Hailing, echoed Rala’s sentiments, emphasizing that their main issue was the impoundment of vehicles, not Wanatu’s hiring policy. “We didn’t seek out Wanatu for legal action; we were already headed to court. They joined us along the way,” Mabuya explained. He also mentioned that the Human Rights Commission would address Wanatu’s hiring practices.
Isaac Mahamba, spokesperson for the Tshwane Metro Police Department, declined to comment on the ongoing legal actions. Tshwane’s MMC for Roads and Transport, Tlangi Mogale, criticized Wanatu’s Afrikaans-only policy, calling it “blatant racism.” She also confirmed that the company was under investigation by the Human Rights Commission for potentially discriminatory hiring practices.
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