South Africa: Uber Taxi Drivers Put At Gunpoint

Uber is under attack. What started as an excellent idea to provide alternate transportation in the world with a click on a smart phone is now turning into a nightmare in some regions of the world.

France recently made UBER illegal, now in South Africa internet taxi firm Uber was providing security for its drivers in South Africa after verbal threats from other taxi operators in the latest outbreak of friction to hit the fast-growing company.

Uber drivers in Johannesburg have been targeted by meter taxi drivers and a protest was held outside Uber's offices Friday, local media reported.

A statement from the U.S.-based company alleged there had been "recent intimidation, caused by a small number of metered taxi drivers at the Sandton Gautrain and Sandton City in Johannesburg.

"We have ... been engaging with law enforcement and the Gautrain Station to assist with stopping this intimidation," a statement by Uber said.

"In addition we have deployed security to these hotspots."

The Gautrain is an express train network in Johannesburg, South Africa's economic capital.

Metered taxi drivers had harass an Uber driver earlier, grab his keys and threaten him with a gun.

The company, based in San Francisco, has expanded rapidly but often faced regulatory hurdles and protests in countries including Germany, Spain and Hungary.