Uber has plans to expand into smaller cities in South Africa.
E-hailing transport service Uber has announced a big expansion into 21 smaller cities and towns across South Africa, taking its presence to a total of 40 cities in all nine provinces.
In a statement on Wednesday (18 August), Uber said it was seeing signs of recovery after experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact over the past year.
The company said:
“We’re bullish that we can deliver strong growth as we continue to unlock opportunities through the Uber platform and our entry into these new cities is testament to our investment in South Africa,”
Uber expansion in South Africa:
The new cities and towns Uber is expanding include the following:
Limpopo
- Polokwane
- Thohoyandou
Western Cape
- Cape West Coast (Vredenburg, Saldanha, Langebaan)
- Garden Route (Mossel Bay, George, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay)
- Worcester
Mpumalanga
- Mbombela (previously Nelspruit)
- Ermelo
- Emalahleni
- Middelburg
KwaZulu-Natal
- Newcastle
- Margate
- Richards Bay
Eastern Cape
- Mthatha
- Queenstown
Northern Cape
- Upington
- Kimberley
Free State
- Welkom
- Phuthaditjhaba
North West
- Rustenburg
- Potchefstroom
- Klerksdorp
The company said:
“Riders in these cities will have the option to request Uber’s best-priced mobility option, Uber Go – with trips starting at R16 and making use of smaller, fuel-efficient hatchback vehicles – or the original UberX category, with trips starting from R18,”
“No matter where riders are heading to, they will always receive an upfront price estimate, which means that they never have to wonder.”
How to become an Uber driver in South Africa
If you’re interested in becoming an Uber driver in South Africa, you can sign up online on its website here. You will need a smartphone and email address to start, and need to be at least 21 years old.
The next step is to book a safety screening and driver evaluation appointment. Johannesburg and Pretoria-based drivers can book here, Durban and Pietermaritzburg drivers here and Cape Town drivers here.
“All other cities only require a safety screening that can be done at any Jetline store or registered Huru/MIE capture partner,” Uber explains.
The third step is to upload your documents, which include the following:
- A valid South African Professional driving permit (PrDP).
- Proof of ID – you have to be a minimum of 21 years of age.
- A driver profile photo.
- Safety Screening Certificate.
- Driving Evaluation Certificate (ONLY required in CPT, JHB, DBN and PE).
You then need to get a vehicle that meets the requirements, which can be read in full here. Once you have completed all the above steps, you will be ready to activate your account and become an Uber driver.
For more information, visit Uber’s step-by-step explanation webpage.