Delivery bike chaos — riders arrested and bikes confiscated

Police in Johannesburg arrested 10 delivery bike riders and confiscated 15 motorcycles through a targeted operation on Tuesday, 13 May 2025.

According to Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) spokesperson Xolani Fihla, authorities want companies and delivery platforms nationwide to ensure their riders are compliant.

Speaking to 702 on Wednesday, Fihla explained that the JMPD is actively cracking down on riders operating illegally on the city’s roads and in South Africa.

“We want to see that there’s more compliance regarding road safety within the City of Johannesburg, and compliance with national traffic laws as well,” he said.

Fihla said the JMPD will continue with its efforts to crack down on the industry.

“We’ll see how these operations will go about. Hopefully, there is compliance as soon as possible, but if this lawlessness does continue, these operations will continue,” he stated.

“With the operation that happened yesterday, and it is continuing, we are also having one today. People were arrested for not carrying valid documentation to work in the country.”

He added that while many riders held valid licences, others didn’t and were fined for operating their vehicles without valid licences.

“Our biggest concern, however, is the number of people arrested for the contravention of the immigration act,” said Fihla.

“We are calling on all the companies and delivery platforms to ensure that the riders comply with all the relevant legislations and to prioritise our road safety, not only in the city of Johannesburg but throughout the country.”

Fihla said delivery riders on South Africa’s roads who don’t have valid licences are breaking the law, and described the companies employing them as negligent.

“It’s like allowing a minor to drive a vehicle when they don’t have the proper documentation. The parent will then be liable for anything that goes wrong,” he said.

“So the companies are also liable, and this is the first step of our enforcement.”

Delivery bike safety concerns

In May 2024, Motorcycle Safety Institute of South Africa founder Hein Jonker raised concerns over whether many of the delivery riders on the country’s roads held valid licences.

He agrees that the onus is on employers to vet their riders’ licences.

“Some of these riders are not local, they’re foreign riders, and in other African countries, they may not have gone through a motorcycle licence test or any motorcycle training; they’ve learnt from their friends,” said Jonker.

“In some countries in Africa, if you go for a motorcar licence, anything below that vehicle class you are licensed to ride, be that a scooter or a motorcycle.”

These licence holders may not have completed a physical motorbike riding test.

“No, they come to this country with a licence that includes a motorcycle licence and off they go,” added Jonker.

He recommended that law enforcement authorities set up roadblocks targeting delivery drivers, which the JMPD has now begun doing.

Another concern is that the pressure delivery jobs can place on riders often leads to poor road behaviour.

The industry’s nature is to deliver as quickly as possible so riders can maximise their earnings. In some cases, the platforms themselves offer delivery guarantees to customers, further pressuring riders.

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

Time pressures also result in riders failing to manage risk appropriately and compromising on safety.

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