Uber

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Read: There may finally be a better alternative to Uber SA

Uber SA is getting some more REAL competition…

Uber

Image: Stockphoto

Africa Ride, you heard of it? If not, chances are you will, very very soon. Uber may be dominating almost every country in the world, but the transport giant currently has some big problems going on worldwide with drivers feeling consistently short changed by the company.

Africa Ride founder Thabo Mashale thinks hius business model may be the solution to Uber drivers woes. Africa Ride in terms of operation is very similar to Uber, its online finding drivers via an app. The key difference comes through REAL driver involvement in the business.

“Our drivers own the business with us. We have put all the drivers under a trust and the trust owns a certain percentage of the business.” – Mashlae told Disrupt Africa.

Another facet differentiating them from Uber is the fact that they offer accounts with corporate, weekly and monthly payment plans as well as an option to pay by wallet. The really amazing thing is that Mashale has done all this since leaving his call centre job in 2012.  He started a shuttle company with one vehicle and now Africa Ride is going toe to toe with Uber in South Africa.

Mashale says he has seen the gap in the market, he knows how Africa Ride is going to fill it.

“The gap is in offerings for corporates, NGOs, individuals and government departments. They want a variety of vehicles, which our app offers. Other corporates want month-to-month accounts and a personal touch where they can speak to a person when they want, not just an app. We also make every driver who comes to us own a stake in the business, thus providing empowerment.”

Local companies fighting back and succeeding is not something we see often enough. International powerhouse brands constantly expand into African territories, taking control of the market and effectively putting a massive constraint on local business. With over 500 drivers on its system though, it might not be that long till you’re calling an Africa Ride and leaving Uber behind.