Afrikaans e-hailing service Wanatu is heading to court following the impounding of vehicles this week by the City of Tshwane due to not having permits.

Wanatu chief executive Judith van der Walt announced on Friday that the company will be fighting for e-hailing driver rights in court.

”If you are an e-hailing driver and can’t represent yourself, join our application. We’re finalising documents today, so contact us urgently to participate,” Wanatu urged drivers.

Van der Walt said they were extending an open invitation to all other e-hailing drivers including Bolt, Uber, and inDrive to join the legal action against authorities.

”We are in the process of finalising the necessary documents,” she said, adding that interested drivers should contact the company.

On Thursday, Wanatu announced that its services have been temporarily halted due to the actions of the Tshwane Metro Police Department, and described the actions as the unlawful impounding of their vehicles and the intimidation of their drivers.

The company justifies its existence as a pioneering initiative with aims to create employment opportunities while promoting the Afrikaans language and culture within the local community.

City of Tshwane MMC for Roads and Transport, Tlangi Mogale, stated that Wanatu’s exclusively Afrikaans service was blatant racism and that authorities in the capital city would not “support anything taking us back 100 years ago in terms of segregation”.

The ANC councillor denied there was a witch-hunt against Wanatu and vowed that the service would not be allowed to operate in the city.

Wanatu was launched in October last year as an Afrikaans-language transportation service currently serving Centurion and areas around Tshwane.

Its drivers have to be fluent in Afrikaans and the company has indicated that the service offers an English translation.

Tshwane mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya insisted that the municipality’s actions were not discriminatory but simply enforcing by-laws.

loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za