Uber’s South African crisis: Safety, cars, and costs

Key topics:

• Uber faces rising safety issues, including attacks on riders and drivers.

• Users report poor car quality, reckless driving, and cleanliness problems.

• Frequent trip cancellations and overcharging spark customer frustration.

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By MyBroadband Staff Writer

Uber is experiencing significant issues across South Africa, with users reporting safety concerns, being overcharged, drivers cancelling trips, and poor-quality cars.

Uber was launched in South Africa’s major cities, Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town, in 2013, and it was an instant hit.

The platform’s exceptional technology, which included tracking the car and providing an estimated arrival time, helped the company achieve rapid growth.

Another standout feature that set Uber apart from competing taxi services in South Africa was the quality of its cars.

The initial service was Uber Black, where passengers were picked up in Mercedes C-Class, BMW 3-series, and Audi A4 cars.

The cars were in excellent condition, the drivers were professional and well-trained, and Uber offered extraordinary service levels.

Many professionals became Uber drivers after hours to earn additional income. It was common for drivers to hold degrees and have full-time jobs.

Uber became known as an efficient, safe, and pleasant way to travel in cities. The service was so good that many people used it as their primary mode of transportation.

Even when UberX was launched in 2014, offering rides in Toyota Corollas and similar class vehicles, it remained exceptional.

Former Uber Sub-Saharan Africa general manager Alon Litz did a sterling job to ensure that the company maintained its status as a world-class ride-hailing service.

Even during violent clashes with the South African metered taxi industry, Lits and his team employed private security to ensure the safety of riders and drivers.

Uber became so successful in South Africa during this period that the company’s name became a verb for taking a cab.

Uber South Africa received more 5-star ratings on Hellopeter and other consumer service platforms than most other companies.

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It built a strong foundation for growth and created a brand which would carry the company for the next decade.

Uber safety concerns

Over the last decade, service levels in South Africa have collapsed, and the safety associated with Uber’s early days has disappeared.

Over the past few years, numerous reports of attacks on Uber riders and drivers have surfaced, with no clear indication that the situation is improving.

In 2023, Johannesburg resident Kayleigh Marx and a friend were attacked and robbed in an Uber while out in Pretoria. She believes the driver orchestrated the attack.

Police confirmed that it was not an isolated incident and that numerous similar cases were reported in Gauteng.

Last year, Cape Town resident Cheral-Lee le Roux alleged that her Uber driver orchestrated a suspected kidnapping and assault.

Radio and TV host Anele Mdoda recently opened a police case against an Uber driver who allegedly harassed her.

In all these cases, Uber stated that they were concerned about the incidents, found them unacceptable, and launched internal investigations.

There have also been numerous reports of Uber drivers being attacked and robbed across South Africa.

Last month, E-hailing Partners Council Secretary-General Melithemba Mnguni said Uber and Bolt drivers are targeted and sometimes killed for allegedly competing with taxi operators.

He said Uber and Bolt drivers are harassed and chased away while picking up or dropping off passengers in certain areas.

“The situation is really bad in Eastgate Mall, Southgate Mall, Sandton by the Gautrain Station, and the side by Michaelangelo,” he told SABC News.

He said this affected drivers’ earnings. Cars are often damaged, and drivers are harassed and even held for ransom to extort money.

Uber dogged by poor-quality cars

Another regular complaint from Uber clients in South Africa is the poor-quality cars, which many feel are unsafe.

“I’ve been using UberX around the city, but I’m starting to feel it’s just not safe enough. A lot of the cars I’ve been in are in rough shape,” one user said.

“On top of that, the drivers seem reckless, speeding, jumping four-way stops, which makes me super uneasy, especially at night or in less busy areas.”

Another user said the standard Uber cars felt disgusting with traces of food and remnants of the last passenger’s vomit on the seat.

“Even Uber black vehicles are poor in terms of cleanliness and maintenance. Drivers save fuel by not using the air conditioner,” he said.

“Often, when taking an Uber, I feel like I am sealed up in a plastic Tupperware container containing last night’s food.”

A few Uber drivers confirmed to MyBroadband that they avoid using air conditioners due to the additional costs associated with them.

They are aware that it affects rider comfort, but they complain that their margins are so thin that they have no choice.

Cancelled Uber trips and billing problems

A regular complaint is that an Uber driver accepts a trip but never arrives, or takes so long to travel that the client is forced to cancel the trip.

One Uber client explained that she ordered a ride and was promised to be picked up within 24 minutes.

Uber drivers told MyBroadband that they often accept trips and then cancel them if they do not find them worthwhile.

MyBroadband previously exposed how some Uber drivers gamed the company’s airport queuing system by leaving their phones in a room at an e-hailing waiting area overnight.

An appointed person accepted the bookings on their behalf to ensure they remained in the queues, despite not attending to the rider’s requests.

Uber riders who cancel their trips because the driver did not show up are then punished with cancellation penalties.

Another common complaint is billing problems. Numerous Uber users in South Africa have reported higher-than-expected billing and trouble getting their money back.

“The fare quoted by Uber was R259.95. However, when I received the bill, it was R356 and some change. I will never use Uber again,” one user said.

Another Uber client reported that they had requested a trip in April, but the driver cancelled it. Despite the cancellation, they were charged R244.

“I spoke to an Uber consultant who advised me it’s a pending hold, and I will be refunded. Today, 20 June, I made a follow-up and I was advised I will not be refunded as it is after 30 days,” they said.

Uber responds

An Uber spokesperson told MyBroadband that the company’s goal is to ensure that everyone has a smooth and hassle-free experience on the platform.

The company added that customer satisfaction is important to us. “When things do not go as planned, we endeavour to act quickly to make it right,” it said.

The spokesperson said they have dedicated support teams to investigate and resolve concerns raised.

“We continually invest in driver education and evolving our in-app safety features,” they said.

“Rider feedback is an important part of this process, and we encourage riders to report issues directly through the app.”

This article was first published by MyBroadband and is republished with permission