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Uber drivers intimidated outside JHB Park Station

Johannesburg - Metered taxi drivers have tried to block off Uber partner drivers outside Johannesburg’s Park Station on Thursday morning.

Twitter users on Thursday morning started reporting about the incidents which occurred outside the train station in the city’s central business district.

However, reports on Twitter further indicated that metered taxi drivers started blocking Uber partner drivers’ access to the station on Wednesday this week already.

One Twitter user wrote on Thursday morning: “The cab drivers at Park station are actively stopping the @Uber_RSA drivers from entering @TheGautrain drop-off zone.”

Johannesburg Metro Police Department spokesperson Wayne Minnaar on Thursday morning told Fin24 that he was unaware of the incidents.

But Fin24 understands that a small number of metered taxi drivers were involved in attempting to block Uber partner drivers and that the South African Police Service (SAPS) has attended to the dispute. Uber has also confirmed the incidents.

Did you see the incidents? Tell us by clicking here.

“This intimidation, caused by a small number of metered taxi drivers, only underlies why people are increasingly choosing safe, reliable alternatives like Uber," Uber spokesperson Samantha Allenberg told Fin24.

“Drivers have access to a security number should they feel unsafe in anyway," said Allenberg.

This is just the latest incident involving intimidation of Uber partner drivers this year.

Last week Friday, Metered taxi drivers reportedly attempted to close off the road to Cape Town International Airport and force passengers out of Uber cars.

Last month, metered taxi drivers stoned two Uber cars and two metro police vehicles outside Sandton’s Gautrain station in Johannesburg in an attack that left three officers injured.

The Sandton Gautrain incident came shortly after metered taxi drivers reportedly attempted to attack Gauteng Transport MEC Ismail Vadi in the Johannesburg CBD after he announced licensing for Uber in the province.

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