This afternoon Uber Eats in South Africa announced that from 5th September, deliveries in certain areas of Soweto would be suspended.
The decision was made following the safety risks that drivers encounter in some parts of Soweto. As such, deliveries for orders in 11 suburbs within Soweto have been suspended. Uber Eats has said that users can still place orders for collection.
“As a company that prioritises the safety of users on the platform, we have engaged rigorously with delivery people through roundtables and surveys to better understand the realities they face on the ground when it comes to safety. Based on these insights, we therefore had to make the tough decision to put a pause on these areas for delivery services by way of the Uber Eats App,” head of operations for Uber Eats Sub-Saharan Africa, Charles Khumbo said in a statement.
The firm has yet to clarify which areas will no longer be able to have orders delivered. We will be sure to list these areas as soon as Uber responds to our request.
In a press statement, Uber goes on to discuss its safety features for Uber Eats delivery drivers, but even the firm appears to recognise a panic button, helmet detection and a checklist aren’t enough to keep drivers safe.
“We hope that as safety interventions get introduced in the market, the environment may improve so that deliveries could be reinstated in these areas,” Khumbo concluded.
Update 1st September 16:29
Uber Eats has detailed the 11 areas in Soweto where deliveries will be suspended. These are:
- Emdeni South
- Mzimhlope
- Zola
- Peenyvile
- Diepkloof Hostel
- Dobsonville
- Davelin
- Pimville
- Noordgesig
- Dube Hostel
- Meadowlands Hostel
