Uber is observing Women's Month by spotlighting female drivers and merchants who are leveraging its platform to build financial independence in the gig economy.
Sihle Lakhe, a Johannesburg driver, has grown her business to two Uber Black vehicles after starting with one. Similarly, restaurateur Dimakatso Hlongwane has leveraged the platform to increase visibility for her business, Mama Dee’s Fast Food.
“Uber is committed to empowering women drivers and merchants like Sihle and Dimakatso,” says Cassie Jaganyi, head of communications at Uber sub-Saharan Africa. “We are continuously working with industry partners to help lessen the barriers that exist for women to gain access to equal earning opportunities.”
The company has also introduced a Historically Disadvantaged Persons badge on its Eats app to boost visibility for small township restaurants, such as Hlongwane’s Mama Dee’s Fast Food.
The platform reports it created R1.6 billion in additional value for South African restaurants in 2023. Uber Eats also reported that 88% of its users say the app helps them find new eateries.
The company estimates its wider ecosystem, including drivers and merchants, added nearly R394 million to the nighttime economy last year.
According to the Competition Commission’s 2023 Online Intermediation Platforms Market Inquiry, and as previously reported by ITWeb, independently owned restaurants often pay higher commission fees than restaurant chains.
The inquiry also revealed:
- Consumers were rarely told that on-app menu prices may be higher than in store prices because of commissions.
Many restaurant chains had previously blocked franchisees from listing on certain local or national delivery services.
Independents face fewer promotional opportunities compared to larger brands.
The Competition Commission has ordered reforms, including:
- A tiered commission model to give small eateries more options.
A ban on restrictive franchise clauses.
Mandatory consumer pop-ups warning that app prices may differ from in-store prices.
Uber Eats’ township ambitions are not new. The company moved into Soweto in 2019, partnering with venues such as Just Badela, Chaf Pozi and Moja Café, and offering bicycle-based deliveries.
At the time, Uber Eats said it was the first international food delivery app to launch in Soweto.
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