DiDi, the newcomer to the South African ridesharing landscape, has announced a initiative aimed to assist with local vaccination efforts, with the company stating that it will be subsidising R1.5 million worth of rides to and from vaccination sites in selected cities.

The cities in question include all those in Gauteng, as well as Cape Town and Gqueberha (formerly Port Elizabeth).

The platform explained that the initiative was launched at the beginning of this week, with DiDi offering 36 000 vouchers.

“Eligible riders that are registered on the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) and DiDi’s Vaccine application system will get a return voucher. The vouchers will entitle the qualifying riders to a R40 discount on their trip (total value of R80) and will expire 30 days after receipt,” it added in a press release sent to Hypertext.

“It is important to note that DiDi continues to require its drivers and riders to wear a face mask and observe non-pharmaceutical health prevention measures even when vaccinated,” stressed Carina Smith-Allin, DiDi’s head of PR and Communications for Sub-Saharan Africa.

At the time of writing, it is unclear for how long the aforementioned R1.5 million of subsidised rides will last, or indeed whether DiDi plans to extend the offer, but it is pleasing to see more ridesharing services looking to assist with the vaccination efforts where it can.

Should DiDi not be an option, it is worthwhile looking at Uber’s platform too, with the company announcing similar initiatives to help those getting to and from vaccination sites.

With turnout dipping slightly in recent weeks, reaching population immunity will prove crucial if SA is to return to some level of normalcy.

To download DiDi on iOS or Android, head here.