The City of Tshwane has expressed disapproval for the Afrikaans-only e-hailing transport service Wanatu, which has been operating in the city.
On Wednesday, the Tshwane Metro Police Department impounded two vehicles on the Wanatu app for not having permits to operate transport services.
City of Tshwane's MMC for Roads and Transport, Tlangi Mogale said another vehicle on the Wanatu platform was also impounded days ago for not having the permit.
Several vehicles on e-hailing apps including Uber, inDrive and Bolt are playing the hide and seek with police in Tshwane, who intercept the vehicles and impound them for not having the permits to provide transportation services.
Earlier this week, IOL reported that Wanatu has made its debut in South Africa, igniting a heated discussion among netizens and raising eyebrows with its unique approach to the transport industry.
Launched in October 2024 and currently servicing Centurion and Pretoria, Wanatu is branded as the first Afrikaans transportation service, aimed at creating jobs and promoting the Afrikaans language within the community.
Speaking to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, Mogale said Tshwane does not approve of Wanatu’s exclusively Afrikaans operations.
“Certainly we do have a problem with that. I think for us that is blatant racism and it is the last thing that we should be discussing in this day and age, as a constitutional democracy,” she said.
“For me, personally and in my capacity as an MMC, it is one thing we have said to the province – what are you doing about this? They have assured us that they are actually meeting with Wanatu on Friday.”
Mogale said there is no witch-hunt targeting Wanatu or any specific transport operator.
She said the international e-hailing platforms like Uber and Bolt have rolled out their services across South Africa but without seeking to uphold the requirements of the National Land Transport Act through their partners, the drivers.
“In as far as the (Wanatu) language is concerned, for us it is a total no-no. We are happy that the Human Rights Commission is allegedly taking up the matter. We have said to the province, look into their applications. When they do their applications, we are not going to treat them with baby gloves. We treat them the same way that we treat the other guys who are running this business,” said Mogale.
She said even after the application for Wanatu’s operating permits are received and adjudicated by the provincial transport authorities, the Afrikaans-only e-hailing will not operate in Tshwane.
“I can tell you, as that Mayco (mayoral committee), there is no way we will be able to support anything that seeks to take us 100 years back in terms of segregation and so forth,” she said.
Hundreds of e-hailing drivers recently led a protest in Pretoria central, accusing the Tshwane Metro Police Department of unfairly impounding their vehicles. Some of the drivers accused the TMPD officers for demanding bribes to avoid impounding the the vehicles.
IOL