Zimbabwe’s proposed regulation of e-hailing services should address public safety and government revenue concerns without imposing costs that could drive young people out of the sector, participants on CITE’s This Morning on Asakhe programme have said.
The views were expressed during an X Space on Friday, which examined whether the government should regulate e-hailing services.
The discussion focused on taxation, licensing and enforcement, as well as the potential impact of regulation on drivers who have turned to e-hailing as a source of income.
The debate comes as the government moves to introduce a legal framework for e-hailing services, which currently fall into a regulatory gap under the existing Road Motor Transportation Act.
On this topic
Authorities have argued that e-hailing operators should contribute towards the maintenance of public infrastructure, including roads, as commercial transport operators.
However, participants said any new fees and licensing requirements should take into account the financial pressures faced by drivers.
One participant said the government needed to engage operators before introducing regulations that could make it difficult for them to remain in business.
“I think this calls for a proper private-public partnership in terms of looking at things collectively,” the participant said.
The participant said there was a communication gap between authorities and operators and called on the Transport Ministry to create platforms where drivers could explain the challenges they face.
“I call upon the minister responsible for transport, to create platforms, workshops, and at least hear the plight of the operators. I think that’s where the bottleneck is,” the participant said.
Another participant acknowledged the need for regulation but warned that licensing requirements could become a barrier to entry.
“There seems to be a fight between the government and business operators, which is normal, but there’s a need to close that gap by way of sitting down with the business operators and understanding their challenges, which ranges from the licensing, which sometimes is prohibitive,” the participant said.
He argued that e-hailing operators should not be treated differently from other public transport operators simply because they use digital platforms.
“The e-hailing service, I think to me it should be a pilot project, but the business is now online. Everything else is the same vehicle, but I think people have to get certified and be authorised to drive public vehicles,” he said.
Participants also cautioned the government against introducing regulations that could undermine the sector’s growth.
“Many a times, there’s this thing that the requirements are sort of hurting, and I think you don’t need any introduction, you can bite the same finger that feeds you,” they said.
They said drivers already faced fuel and vehicle maintenance costs, as well as commissions charged by digital platforms.
Participants also raised concerns about possible double taxation, with drivers potentially facing national fees and taxes alongside municipal operating charges.
They called for the government and local authorities to develop a harmonised regulatory system that allows the sector to remain viable while ensuring that drivers, digital platforms and authorities contribute fairly.
Leave a Reply