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Paper short abstract

Drawing on ongoing fieldwork in Johannesburg, I explore the political economy of Uber in the city. This means unpacking UBER economics and labour relations, and two sets of struggles by UBER workers': 1) those against UBER to be recognised as workers, not as 'partners' 2) those against metered taxi.

Paper long abstract

Drawing on ongoing fieldwork in Johannesburg, this paper explore the political economy of Uber in the city. This means unpacking UBER economics and labour relations, and two sets of struggles by UBER workers':

1) those against UBER to be recognised as workers, not as partners. The paper traces the organisation by workers, its challenges and achievements

2) those against metered taxi. Metered taxis response to UBER has been marked by severe violence and in some cases UBER drivers have been killed by metered taxi drivers. The paper traces the historical roots of this violences, and the way in which some degree of stable co-existence seems to have been achieved in the sector.