[Image: Uber]
Uber South Africa is going through a serious glow-down. Once the slick ride-hailing darling that had city slickers raving, it’s now limping along with a battered reputation, a fleet of jalopies, and a barrage of horror stories from both riders and drivers.
Let’s rewind. When Uber launched in Joburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town back in 2013, it was a breath of aircon-fresh air.
The technology blew minds—track your ride? Estimated time of arrival? You’d swear teleportation was next. But the real flex was the cars. Uber Black came rolling in with Mercs, Beamers, and Audis. You felt like you were getting picked up for a business class flight just to go to Woolies.
The service was also pretty pristine. Drivers were often moonlighting professionals with degrees. You’d get financial advice on the way to the club. Uber wasn’t just transport—it was a lifestyle.
Even when UberX dropped in 2014 with more modest rides like Toyota Corollas, it still held strong. Former GM Alon Litz ran a tight ship, even hiring private security when tensions with the metered taxi mafia flared. Uber was a verb. It was the gold standard.
And then… the wheels started falling off.
Fast-forward a decade, and Uber’s got a safety problem, MyBroadband reports. A big one. Riders have reported everything from being robbed to suspected kidnappings—allegedly by their own drivers.
In 2023, Kayleigh Marx said she and a friend were attacked in an Uber. She believes the driver set them up. In Cape Town, Cheral-Lee le Roux alleged her Uber driver tried to kidnap and assault her.
Even Anele Mdoda—yes, that Anele—opened a police case after an Uber driver allegedly harassed her.
Uber’s standard response? They’re “concerned,” find the incidents “unacceptable,” and promise investigations. That’s PR bingo right there.
But it’s not just the passengers. Drivers are also being attacked, robbed, and sometimes even killed—especially near hotspots like Eastgate, Southgate, Sandton, and Michaelangelo, according to Melithemba Mnguni from the E-hailing Partners Council.
“The situation is really bad,” he said. Drivers are harassed, cars damaged, and ransoms demanded. Casual day in SA.
Meanwhile, the vehicles have gone from showroom chic to scrapyard scary.
“I’ve been using UberX around the city, but I’m starting to feel it’s just not safe enough,” one rider said. “A lot of the cars I’ve been in are in rough shape.”
Another lamented the smell of old food and—brace yourself—vomit remnants on the seat. Lovely.
“Even Uber Black vehicles are poor in terms of cleanliness and maintenance. Drivers save fuel by not using the air conditioner,” another said. “I feel like I am sealed up in a plastic Tupperware container containing last night’s food.”
Turns out that’s not far off. Drivers admit they avoid using aircons because margins are razor thin. Understandable? Maybe. Comfortable? Not even slightly.
Then there’s the whole ghost-driver phenomenon. Riders order trips only for drivers to vanish into the ether—or worse, show up an hour late, forcing passengers to cancel and eat the fee.
One common scam? Airport drivers are gaming the system by parking their phones in the queue overnight. A buddy accepts rides while the driver’s sleeping soundly elsewhere. You get charged. They get paid. Everyone wins—except you.
And let’s talk billing.
“The fare quoted by Uber was R259.95. However, when I received the bill, it was R356 and some change. I will never use Uber again,” one user fumed.
Another was charged R244 for a ride that never even happened. After chasing the refund for weeks, Uber hit them with a shrug: “Sorry, it’s been more than 30 days.”
Uber, for its part, insists it’s trying. “Our goal is to ensure that everyone has a smooth and hassle-free experience,” a spokesperson said. They highlighted in-app safety features, ongoing driver education, and encouraged users to report issues.
It all sounds lovely in a press release, but on the streets of South Africa, riders aren’t convinced.
From five-star superstar to a one-star warning sign, Uber SA’s story has gone from glory to gory. And if the company doesn’t pull a serious handbrake turn soon, more passengers might just decide it’s safer to walk.
[Source: MyBroadband]
