Note to metered taxi drivers: ‘Gaan vlieg in jou moer in’
Man-handled by violent taxi drivers while trying to use Uber — I had had enough, writes Graeme Hosken
There is a saying in Afrikaans that needs no translation. It’s beautifully descriptive and goes like this: "Gaan vlieg in jou moer in" ("Go to hell"). Its my newly adopted attitude towards SA’s metered taxi associations and their drivers’ brutish approach to Uber and the thousands of South Africans who rely on the company’s quick‚ cheap and efficient service to get around the country’s cities. My attitude changed on Wednesday as I left the Sandton Gautrain station and approached an Uber driver who was waiting for me. As I walked towards him he began hooting frantically, pointing to something behind me. Turning around I saw four men approaching me at a pace screaming and yelling at me to "Voetsek!" ordering me away from the car. Without introductions I knew who they were — the much-feared Sandton, self-regulated metered taxi guards who rule with iron fists‚ threats and steel poles. The Uber driver was stuck. Cars had stopped in front of him at the red traffic light. I moved to get in...
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