Uber’s drive to raise public support for its e-hailing service in Cape Town, South Africa has received over 13,000 signatures within its first week.
Fin24 reports that Uber took this move after city officials insisted that Uber drivers have metered taxi permits though Uber officials questioned the idea of a internet-based service getting a metered taxi licence. The unresolved licensing debate has led to city officials impounding 200 Uber cars.
Uber states that they have been in talks with the city and Western Cape officials on a clear route to licensing since early 2014, it has not been conclusive so far.
“We wanted to show the city and the province that Capetonians really want Uber, that they need Uber,” says Samantha Allenberg, Uber’s communications associate for Africa. “Riders want the service; drivers want the service. The fact that it’s taking over six months is not acceptable,” she added.
The Western Cape provincial government on Thursday released a statement on driver permits in the region stating that the Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE) in the Department of Transport and Public Works is currently considering 343 application for operating licences before it, with 201 of these from Uber partners, and the PRE will decide on it next week.
Source: Fin24
Photo Credit: niznoz via Compfight cc
