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Two vehicles, believed to be Uber taxis, were set alight on Thursday 7 September 2017 near the Gautrain Station in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa. The drivers escaped the scene unharmed.
Violence erupted after the attack. According to reports, a group of Uber drivers retaliated and headed towards meter taxis with stones in their hands.
It is reported that police deployed Tactical Response Units to assist in the volatile situation and fired stun grenades.
Uber has confirmed that one vehicle involved in the incident was registered to them. The taxi-hailing company said they are busy with investigations to confirm the second vehicle.
There has been ongoing disputes between Uber and meter taxi drivers. Earlier this year a driver died after his vehicle was petrol bombed in Pretoria, South Africa.
Metered taxi drivers are demanding that Uber taxis be made to adhere to the same transport regulations that they were forced to.
Watch the video:
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c04i6imCdHI[/embedyt]
See how people on Twitter reacted to the incident.
#Uber set-alight in Sandton. Imagine Woolworths torched all Shoprite outlets because of their pricing strategy… pic.twitter.com/UDnyHtX26U
— Leandri Janse van Vuuren (@Lean3JvV) September 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/castlelight83/status/905862154024341505
KFC and Chicken Licken coexist, why can't metered taxis and #Uber? What happened in #Sandton is disgraceful, this violence needs to stop.
— iNkosazana?? (@_iNgwanelihle_) September 7, 2017
These metered taxi drivers are thugs. Resistant to change and progress. #uber
— Mazola J. Molefe (@superjourno) September 7, 2017
Dear Metered Taxis, even without uber, ?WE WON'T USE YOU! You are expensive, entitled thugs! #Uber
— Swan ? (@Rategang_M) September 7, 2017
Why doesn't the MEC revoke the permits of this meter taxis like they did with some of the violent taxi routes in Soweto #Sandton #Uber
— Mandla Thwala (@Mricho82) September 7, 2017
By attacking #Uber cars in Sandton, the Metered Taxi thugs were literally demanding a "right" to render a crap service, free of competition!
— Sihle Ngobese (@BigDaddyLiberty) September 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/YusufPeer1/status/905855843077431297
Edited by Fundisiwe Maseko
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