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- Some drivers on e-hailing platforms embarked on a national strike on Monday, protesting over pay and safety concerns.
- Services on customer apps still appeared to be largely available despite the protest action, which driver associations say will continue.
- Uber and Bolt say they have been and are still listening to driver concerns, which include pricing of rides and issues around safety.
- For more financial news, go to the News24 Business front page.
A number of drivers on e-hailing platforms such as Bolt and Uber embarked on a national strike on Monday, protesting both their pay structures and raising concerns over their safety.
Services on the customer apps on the platforms appeared to still be largely available, although Bolt noted the protest action had resulted in customers waiting longer than usual for rides across SA's cities.
There also seemed to be no national command structure behind the action, with strikes seemingly organised on an ad hoc basis by driver associations in different provinces.
The central issues appear to include the pricing of rides, which drivers say are too low, as well as the 25% service fee e-hailing platforms generally charge.
As a result, drivers say they were battling to survive as they tried to manage rocketing fuel prices and the high costs involved in maintaining the vehicles, including oil and tyre changes.
According to one of the posters advertising the protest action in KwaZulu-Natal, it appeared drivers wanted a standard fee of R50 to apply for all trips between 0km and 5km instead of the more variable rate that is applied currently. They are also seeking that the 25% commission that is paid to the e-hailing platforms be reduced to 15%.
Additionally, they wanted to introduce a cancellation fee on cash and card trips and the "verification of clients for driver safety against hijacking", including the use of ID numbers when customers uploaded the app.
Danny Mamabolo, a driver on the Uber platform, told News24 drivers were finding it "difficult to make a living", saying they were effectively "left with nothing" after paying the 25% commission. "Things now are so expensive, the petrol price has increased, as well as tyres, oil and everything else," he said.
Ride delays
One Uber user in Johannesburg said she had delays in requesting an Uber from Broadacres to Rivonia, adding that at first three drivers had cancelled her rides.
"Trying to find a ride this morning was very frustrating and came with much anxiety simply because I was running late to work and wasn't aware that there was a strike at the time of requesting," she said.
"My first ride took longer than it should've. The map on the app wasn't directing the driver correctly, and I tried to call the driver but didn't answer my calls. So I ended up cancelling that one and tried to request again. I tried requesting, and it kept loading to find a driver. Eventually, after about 30 minutes, I ultimately got a driver.
"During that time, I was anxious and confused about what was happening," she added.
A driver told News24 he was protesting because he didn't feel safe, adding that Uber was taking a big portion of his money.
"I pay R4 500 for my rental car per week. On top of that [Uber] takes about 20% off all the rides I make. It's a lot because it leaves me with very, very little. They give us long trips, but the money is little," he said.
Another driver on the Uber platform, Kayakazi Mba, said another concern, apart from the low pricing on trips, was that the platforms did not "count where you were travelling from to go and pick up a client, but just where you picked up the client from".
Sipho Mabika, chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal E-Hailing Council, said the protest would last "until further notice", adding that the strike had been "successful" in KwaZulu-Natal.
"We don't have any cars moving on the road."
Meanwhile, Vhatuka Mbelengwa, spokesperson for the National E-Hailing Association, told News24 the organisation was in consultation with drivers and other stakeholder groups nationally about the strike and would "issue a statement later in the week".
Mbelengwa said although no official strike had been registered, he anticipated a "stayaway". He added that safety was a serious concern.
"All you need to request a ride is a SIM card and a phone. [Often]times, we think the people involved in crime are hijackers, but it could easily be someone requesting a ride," said Mbelengwa.
Bolt said its observations across different cities indicated that passengers are encountering longer-than-usual estimated time of arrival (ETA) when making ride requests, but that it was "too early to determine the exact impact on the business".
Uber said the "marketplace is balanced at the moment," but didn't go into further detail about any changes to driver supply.
Bolt's response
Takura Malaba, regional manager for East and Southern Africa for Bolt, said the group continued to monitor the protest and to provide information to its driver community as well as passengers.
Bolt also regularly engaged with local authorities and law enforcement, sharing "any information possible to help them address the crimes of hijacking and illegal vehicle impoundment".
Malaba said, however, that crimes against ride-hailing drivers continued to be a "national issue of great concern".
"Bolt cooperates with the police to provide all the relevant information required to assist in every case as well as provide the impacted driver with all the information needed for trauma counselling with our provider Oaksure."
It was also continuously developing safety features and tools that directly addressed driver safety concerns.
"This includes an in-app integrated SOS emergency button that shares the driver’s details and location with a 24-7 call centre and then immediately deploys private security and emergency services through our partnership with the Automobile Association (AA)."
As for driver earnings, Bolt was also "constantly looking for ways to increase driver earnings, including incentivising passengers, launching new categories and marketing the Bolt platform to attract passengers".
It had introduced new categories aimed to help drivers including higher hourly earnings as trips were "priced higher in this category".
Uber's response
Uber, meanwhile, said it was "aware of a group of e-hailing drivers who had planned to protest" on Monday, adding it was open to having discussions with drivers to better understand their concerns.
It said it had in the past month been engaging with the Soweto E-Hailing Association, Western Cape E-Hailing Council, metered taxi associations and "many other structures and government departments". Engagements with drivers were "continuous" it said, and also include surveys, as well as in-person roundtables.
"So far, we are forming workable solutions for the benefit of an inclusive ride-sharing industry, whilst upholding the independent status of drivers operating on the app."
Uber said driver concerns were important to it and it was "constantly taking their feedback into account, by adapting fare policies and rolling out new technology to provide better earning opportunities".
"Through these engagements we have, over time, implemented various measures and solutions to help improve earner experience on the Uber app," it said.
Some of the examples of this included the introduction of a variable service fee in Durban with a "plan to roll this out to other cities".
"This will help optimise earnings on long and short trips, wait time, pick-up distance, weather and traffic," it said.
"Over the past year, we have made several changes such as price increases to cushion drivers against challenging economic conditions," Uber added.
But in reviewing its fare policy, Uber said it took into consideration the economic climate, adding that where fares are too high, there could be a risk of fewer or no requests from riders – meaning fewer or no earning opportunities for drivers.
"We recognise the pressures drivers are under, including the increasing cost of living. It’s important to understand that fares do fluctuate as a regular part of any business based on various factors such as seasonality and the macroeconomic environment."
As for the safety concerns raised by drivers, Uber said it had also "demonstrated how our technology is used to enhance safety and how we work with the SAPS, rapid response teams to best support drivers" but that it knew its "work is never done".
Uber said it continues to "invest heavily" in technology and had launched "several industry-leading safety features over the years dedicated to the South African market".
Drivers on the platform were able to enjoy features such as an in-app emergency button, 24-7 in-app support and Ride Check, which allows both the rider and driver to update Uber on how the trip is going. If there is anything amiss, Uber can be alerted to it through the app or taking other actions like pushing the emergency button or reporting the issue to Uber's safety line.
