Uber has announced its expansion into over 21 smaller cities and towns across South Africa, making Uber available in over 40 cities across the country, and serving more than 80% of the urban populations.
Riders will be able to request a ride in Polokwane, Cape West Coast (Vredenburg, Saldanha, Langebaan), Mbombela (previously Nelspruit), Newcastle, Mthatha, Thohoyandou, Upington, Margate, Richards Bay, Welkom, Phuthaditjhaba, Ermelo, Queenstown, Garden Route (Mossel Bay, George, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay), Kimberley, Emalahleni, Middelburg, Worcester, Rustenburg, Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp, making Uber available in all nine provinces in South Africa.
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.
“Uber is committed to keeping riders moving and drivers earning and despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic in the last year, we are seeing signs of recovery as more consumers are riding with us again,” says Frans Hiemstra, GM for Uber in Sub-Saharan Africa. “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 is committed to improving access to transportation for riders in smaller cities, focusing on affordability and safety. Uber has introduced safety tools at users’ fingertips that sets them apart from some of the other competitors such as the Safety Toolkit. This feature includes access to an in-app emergency button that connects the driver or rider to third-party security or medical assistance, a first for the industry, and Trusted Contacts that allow riders to share their trip status with up to five selected contacts.