Motoring17.01.2025

Online shopping delivery safety problems in South Africa

Motorcycle Safety Institute founder Hein Jonker wants on-demand delivery companies to pick up their socks when it comes to ensuring the safety of their contracted riders.

Speaking to Cape Talk, Jonker said the minimum that on-demand delivery providers should do is ensure that riders are fully licenced, subsidise or pay for rider training, and provide proper riding kits.

Additionally, companies offering on-demand delivery should inspect the riding kits of riders, inspect each rider’s scooter or motorbike regularly, subsidise medical or life insurance policies for riders, and offer monthly safety talks.

Jonker believes delivery companies should also form a union representing riders and their rights for a safer working experience.

“This delivery rider issue has been going on for a while now. They face constant problems while out making deliveries, and I think the pressures are stacking up against them,” said Jonker.

He explained that sufficient regulations are not being applied to monitor rider safety in South Africa. However, he also noted that rider training is lacking, which creates the perception that they are dangerous.

“For anyone to have a perception against delivery drivers like this, you have to look at three main issues in this particular situation,” said Jonker.

These include behaviour in traffic, attitude towards road laws, and riders’ ignorance of obvious risks.

“Number one is behaviour in traffic. It’s their behaviour in traffic that creates the perception that riders are out of control,” said Jonker.

“The second thing is your attitude towards road rules, which goes hand-in-hand with behaviour.”

“Then, more specifically to delivery riders, their ignorance to obvious risk and how they manage their own riding in traffic,” he added.

He explained that another primary concern relates to the superiority complex held by many other road users, where riders receive very little respect on the roads.

Jonker says proper riding training is crucial to minimise delivery riders’ risks on the country’s roads. However, he notes that there aren’t enough riding centres offering training to meet the number of delivery riders.

He listed several recommendations for companies offering on-demand delivery services:

  • Ensure contracted and employed riders are fully licenced;
  • Subsidise or pay for proper training;
  • Provide riders with proper riding kits;
  • Regularly inspect the riding kits and bikes of contracted and employed riders;
  • Subsidise medical or life insurance policies for each rider;
  • Request local riding schools to give monthly safety talks; and,
  • Form a labour union to represent delivery riders and their rights to safety.

Jonker’s comments come after Cape Town residents reported several incidents involving delivery riders in the region in recent weeks, including one in which a 30-year-old rider lost his life in Camps Bay.

The fatal crash involving the delivery rider and two other vehicles occurred on Camps Bay Drive on Saturday, 11 January 2025.

Many residents took to social media to voice their concerns about delivery promises offered by on-demand delivery services, which put pressure on riders.

“Stop this nonsense of delivery in one hour. Surely one can of Coke and six eggs can wait?” one user commented.

“Nobody’s groceries arriving in under one hour is worth a life,” another said.

The nature of a delivery rider’s role is also to deliver as many orders per day as possible to maximise their earnings.

Jonker raised concerns over this aspect of the job in May 2024.

“If you put a person under pressure that might not have been riding a motorcycle where he or she comes from under that kind of pressure, something’s got to give,” he said.

When under time constraints, riders don’t manage risks appropriately and often overlook safety aspects like properly securing their helmets.

“Do they take chances through traffic? Yes, they do. So, something gives, and when something gives, the risk is increased dramatically, and then you see things go wrong in traffic,” added Jonker.

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