What South Africa’s new e-hailing rules mean for riders and drivers
South Africa’s new e-hailing safety rules follow a global trend of governments relying more on private companies to handle emergency responses.
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South Africa’s new e-hailing regulations follow a global trend of governments relying more on private companies to handle emergency responses.
Justin Suttner, General Manager of AURA in Sub-Saharan Africa, stated that governments are increasingly shifting the responsibility for safety to tech-enabled private-sector solutions due to the overstretching of public emergency services.
AURA is a tech company that supports emergency response platforms, including the backend for Uber’s in-app safety button in South Africa
"South Africa’s regulations represent a clear turning point in terms of the expectations the government is placing on private companies. Imposing these tighter restrictions demonstrates that the authorities have recognised two important truths". Suttner said.
IOL previously reported that some of the new regulations include the requirement for e-hailing drivers to obtain official operating licenses, mandatory branding of vehicles, and compulsory installation of panic buttons in vehicles to enhance safety for both drivers and passengers.
The new regulations have also raised concerns among some drivers who feel that the added compliance costs and requirements could affect their earnings and ability to operate efficiently.
Suttner explained that “riders and drivers expect help to arrive within minutes in a mobile, on-demand world. Consumers rightly expect reliable emergency services to be just a tap away.”
He added that “a model based purely on public emergency services, which are increasingly stretched and under pressure, is no longer sufficient to meet these demands,” Suttner added.
"We will see more and more collaboration between traditional public services and innovative tech solutions to collectively keep people safe".
IOL Business