Delivery Industry in Crisis: Riders Mobilize Against Exploitation, Unfair Dismissals, and UberMoto Shutdown

Johannesburg – South Africa’s fast-growing motorbike delivery sector is under intense pressure as riders across major platforms take unprecedented action against what they describe as years of exploitation, unfair treatment, and unsafe working conditions.

The conflict escalated after 28 riders contracted to BangSure were dismissed without notice or hearing. Riders allege that BangSure violated its own Independent Contractor Agreement, which stipulates one month’s notice and a fair opportunity to address allegations. Labour experts note that this action may also contravene constitutional rights, including the right to fair labour practices and just administrative action.

At the same time, Uber’s motorbike division, UberMoto, is facing a National Shutdown, with drivers refusing to go online until their concerns are addressed. Central to their demands is the call to end the system of third-party service providers. Riders are insisting that they be directly employed by Uber South Africa, rather than working under middlemen who, they claim, extract earnings while offering no protections.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been tabled by rider representatives, demanding that Uber provide transparent contracts, pay outstanding wages, respect riders’ right to representation, and create a proper grievance mechanism. The document further demands direct employment for riders, with the same protections and benefits afforded to workers under South African law.

Fleet owners have been warned not to deploy riders or bikes during the shutdown, with reports that those attempting to operate risk being stopped. The shutdown will continue, riders say, until Uber South Africa formally acknowledges and responds to their memorandum.

Observers argue that the crisis exposes the structural flaws of the gig economy in South Africa, where delivery platforms have grown rapidly during the food delivery boom but continue to rely on precarious, low-paid labour. Riders often bear the costs of fuel, bike maintenance, and insurance, while lacking social protections or minimum wage guarantees.

Labour analysts suggest that unless companies like Uber and BangSure engage meaningfully with rider associations, the unrest may deepen and spill over into other parts of the gig economy. For many riders, this moment represents not just a labour dispute but a fight for dignity, recognition, and survival in an industry built on their labour.

The unfolding shutdown and mass mobilization may prove to be a defining moment for South Africa’s delivery sector – a test of whether global platforms will adapt to local labour standards, or whether riders will continue to push back against what they see as systemic exploitation.