Transformation of Minibus-Taxi Industry to bring economic opportunities, service delivery improvements.

Alexis Levor The renewable energy independent power purchaser procurement programme has been an enormous success at national level. Now the broad legal framework exists to enable municipalities to enter into smaller versions of the big renewables projects the government has concluded in terms of the programme.

ENCA interview with Alexis Levor - Commercial & Renewable Energy Law Consultant on 12 October 2015.

The problem is many municipalities lack skilled managers able to comply with the law without detracting from service delivery. Having the right legal framework in place is a vital first step in creating a state that delivers effective services to its citizens, and can be held to account for its failures. But, as the experience of the past 20 years demonstrates, good laws do not lead inevitably to good service delivery.

The recent controversy surrounding the impoundment of Uber affiliated taxis in Cape Town has highlighted the need for consumers to be more aware of who they do business with. Uber, an app-based transportation platform headquartered in San Francisco, California, launched in Cape Town last year. The company uses a smartphone application to receive ride requests, and then sends these trip requests to affiliated drivers.

The recent controversy over the impounding of Uber taxis in Cape Town highlights a new compliance challenge likely to surface around mobile apps that connect consumers with service providers, says Tamaryn Tesselaar of TNK Attorneys. “Uber’s popularity in Cape Town has increased exponentially owing to the affordability, user-friendliness and quality of its services. Uber is not a taxi operator however, despite the perception that it is.

The rapid rise of Uber and Airbnb, which have threatened the survival of traditional businesses, have attracted regulatory scrutiny everywhere in the world where their businesses are flourishing. Uber and Airbnb have disrupted the traditional taxi and hotel industries. And their potential for greater growth is still high. Microsoft SA enterprise & partners group lead Angela Gahagan says Uber exploits the prevalent technology of the day — smartphones and apps — to deliver a seamless experience for people who need transport.