How inDrive Is Responding to Ride-Hailing Risks

In recent months, South Africa’s e-hailing sector has once again found itself under scrutiny. What had become an unfortunate norm, passengers facing unsafe situations, has been compounded by incidents revealing the other side of the equation, where drivers themselves have been placed at risk, in some cases with tragic outcomes.

Safety in the ride-hailing economy is no longer a one-sided conversation. It is a systemic issue that affects both rider and driver, and one that requires visible, practical intervention.

Against this backdrop, inDrive has taken steps to move beyond statements and into implementation.

On 3 March 2026, inDrive, in partnership with Cartrack, handed over advanced safety devices to drivers in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The initiative also marked the introduction of a new in-app card payment feature aimed at reducing reliance on cash; a longstanding risk factor within the sector.

The rollout included hands-on safety workshops and live demonstrations, where drivers were trained on emergency response protocols, device usage and practical security strategies during daily operations.

Each safety device comes with a six-month subscription to Cartrack’s vehicle tracking and recovery service. The system offers real-time vehicle monitoring, rapid response support and enhanced theft recovery capability; adding a measurable layer of protection for drivers operating in high-risk urban environments.

Cartrack specialists demonstrated emergency response features and vehicle tracking functionality, ensuring drivers understood not only how the devices work, but when and why to use them.

Alongside physical security tools, inDrive introduced a card payment option within its app. The feature allows passengers to pay digitally, reducing the risks associated with carrying cash, managing change and handling disputes over fares.

In a country where cash-related crime remains a concern, the move represents a structural shift in how transactions are managed on the platform.

The initiative extended beyond safety hardware. Drivers participating in the activations also received practical rewards, including smartphones, televisions and microwaves, reinforcing inDrive’s broader positioning around driver welfare.

Ashif Black noted that the in-person engagements were critical.

“Hosting these events gave us the opportunity to engage directly with our drivers and provide practical tools that enhance both their safety and daily operations in using the app’s safety features,” he said. “Our drivers drive our mission, and it was inspiring to see their enthusiasm and engagement with these initiatives.”

The Johannesburg and Cape Town activations mark a significant step in the evolving partnership between inDrive and Cartrack. More broadly, they signal a recognition that safety innovation must be ongoing and proactive.

As South Africa’s ride-hailing landscape continues to mature, platforms that invest in both digital safeguards and physical security infrastructure may play a decisive role in rebuilding trust across the ecosystem.