Due to continued worries regarding the safety of its delivery personnel, Uber Eats has temporarily stopped offering meal delivery in several areas of Soweto.Uber Eats delivery in 11 areas won’t be accessible starting on September 5th, according to a statement.The affected locations are Meadowlands Hostel, Dube Hostel, Diepkloof Hostel, Emdeni South, Mzimhlope, Zola, Pimville, Peenyvile, Noordgesig, Dobsonville, and Davelin.
It is with great disappointment that starting 5 September 2022, Uber Eats deliveries in some areas of Soweto will not be available due to the safety risks that continue to threaten the businesses of delivery people. [1/4]
— Uber South Africa (@Uber_RSA) September 1, 2022
The meal delivery service claims that it was obliged to make the choice as a result of intense engagement with its delivery partners through roundtables and surveys to better understand the reality they confront on the ground with regard to safety.
“Based on these insights, we therefore had to make the tough decision to put a pause on these areas for delivery services by way of the Uber Eats app,” says Charles Mhango, head of operations for Uber Eats SSA.
“Merchants in these areas continue to be fully operational on the Uber Eats app and eaters can still place their orders; however, these are limited to pick-up due to the delivery service being temporarily closed.”
Mhango says that Uber Eats couriers, particularly those operating two-wheeled cars, suffer particular difficulties on the road. Some of the businesses that are impacted belong to the fast food, convenience, and alcohol industries.
Uber Eats and Mr. D Food couriers previously admitted to the media that they were living in fear due to the rise in robberies that targeted them. Some people mentioned that thefts caused them to lose their motorcycles.Uber Eats, has added a number of safety elements that are accessible through the app and are targeted to its couriers.
These include a helmet detection and safety checklist, an emergency contacts feature, and an emergency button that, in the case of a crisis, summons private security to the delivery person.
“We also have Partner Injury Protection provided by AIG Insurance to help support delivery people with the costs associated with injury while on a trip. We hope that as safety interventions get introduced in the market, the environment may improve so that deliveries could be reinstated in these areas,” notes Mhango
Those who are familiar with Soweto’s crime statistics and anticipated the difficulties deliverers would encounter felt this pretty strongly after Uber Eats announced in 2019 that it will be adding a new people-powered type of delivery the bicycle. It was a thought that didn’t appear to come to pass. Since the beginning of the year, 2,961 common robbery offenses have been reported in Soweto. Statistics on crime are unchanging and relentless.
In South Africa, Uber Eats introduced its app delivery service in 2016, starting with 1,000 restaurants and later expanding to over 7,000 more. In 2019, it added Soweto to the 33 cities across the nation where it had previously operated. More than 1.2 million people reside in the township, along with a number of new opening restaurants.
Since it began offering e-hailing services in 2013, Uber has faced criticism from the South African public. The company faced opposition in its early phases from competing metered taxi operators who attempted to evict Uber partner drivers from what they claimed to be their area. Uber drivers sued Uber SA in the Johannesburg Labour Court last year in an effort to get the company to admit that its drivers have a legal right to statutory employment.
About Uber Eats
In South Africa and other parts of the world, Uber Eats is one of the leading food delivery app services. Initially, the company’s concentration in the South African market was on ordering and pick-up from exclusively upscale restaurants. But ever since, they’ve broadened their offerings and now provide a huge selection of eateries as well as delivery and pick-up options in numerous cities around the nation.
How much do Uber Eats drivers make in South Africa?
Uber Eats driver’s pay in South Africa is determined by adding the regular delivery price to any extra money earned for extra time and labor, such as gratuities and multiple orders.
Due to this, Uber Eats drivers do not receive a fixed wage. The amount an Uber Eats driver is paid depends on the particular driver, delivery, time, and location.
Due to all of the above-mentioned circumstances, the revenue of Uber Eats drivers changes day to day. However, Uber Eats drivers typically make between R14 and R15 every delivery, with increased pay during peak hours reaching up to R20 per delivery. Uber Eats drivers can make anywhere between R1800 and R2500 weekly, on average, depending on the demand for deliveries and the number of deliveries that can be made in a single day.
Requirements to become an Uber Eats driver
In order to start earning money by delivering Uber Eats orders, you will first need to be approved by Uber. There are several basic requirements for someone looking to become an Uber Eats driver that needs to be met, including:
–You must be 18 years or older
– You must have a South African Drivers Licence (code B/C/EB/EC for cars and Code A/A1 for motorbikes)
– You must have a car (2 door or 4 door car), or a motorbike (that can fit a Top Box)
– You must have a South African ID or Passport
– You must undergo a safety screening
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