Hundreds of South African taxi drivers on Friday blocked roads to Johannesburg airport, holding up thousands of travellers and causing traffic chaos in a protest against the app-based taxi service, Uber, local media reported.
"The train going to
the airport was packed with passengers trying desperately to catch their
flights,'' witnesses said.
The local media reported
that some travelers were seen walking toward the airport, hauling their
luggage.
The taxi drivers accused
U.S.-based Uber, which operates in South Africa's main cities of pulling down
prices and preventing them from making a living.
"From this day, we
don't want to see Uber in our country, because it's illegal,'' one taxi driver
said to newsmen.
According to the local
media, metered taxi drivers say Uber drivers do not pay licence fees.
Meanwhile, the local
media was unable to obtain a comment from Uber's South African branch.
Uber has faced protests
from other taxi drivers in Europe, Latin America and Asia.
It was not immediately
known if the protest would lead to flights being delayed.
The local media was also
unable to reach the communications department of Johannesburg airport.
