Uber to introduce Courier Bakkie service in South Africa

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Uber has introduced its Courier Bakkie service in South Africa, marking a first for the global technology company.

The service enables app users to transport heavy items weighing up to one tonne.

Johannesburg is the first city where this service will be launched, with Cape Town and Durban expected to follow soon.

This new service expands Uber’s range of offerings and is designed to meet local needs.

Uber says that the bakkie service is suitable for moving bulky items such as furniture, catering supplies, and large appliances.

However, Uber confirmed that labour is not included in the service for now.

SA LOVES THEIR BAKKIES

“South Africans love their bakkies because they are practical and versatile,” said Mnotho Mtshali, Uber’s Senior Operations Manager for the Middle East and Africa.

“We are thrilled to expand our offerings to include heavy goods transportation.”

The timing of the launch aligns with the upcoming festive season.

Families preparing for celebrations can now use Courier Bakkie to transport items quickly and efficiently.

“This is perfect for people balancing festive season preparations with busy schedules,” Mtshali added.

Small businesses are also expected to benefit from this new service.

Courier Bakkie offers a solution for transporting car parts, building materials, and other heavy goods.

It allows business owners to focus on growth rather than logistics.

“We care deeply about supporting small businesses,” Mtshali said.

“Courier Bakkie empowers entrepreneurs to grow and create jobs.”

COURIER BAKKIES FOUND UNDER ‘RIDES’

The Courier Bakkie option is available in the Rides section of the Uber app.

Users can set a destination and request a bakkie for their transportation needs.

Uber has also partnered with SkyNet Worldwide Express to support the service.

This new offering is part of a broader rebranding effort by Uber.

Uber also confirmed that its package service will soon be renamed “Courier” to align better with the type of service it is providing regarding this.

Uber has spearheaded a number of its new services in the South African market, however some did not take off as well as they hoped.

In 2019, Uber Eats launched its bicycle delivery service in a few of SA’s cities.

However, due to safety concerns, a number of those services were cancelled a short while after.

Then in 2022, Uber announced that it would be cancelling its delivery services around selected parts of Soweto due to safety concerns for its drivers.

Uber Eats introduced its app-based delivery service in South Africa in 2016, beginning with 1 000 restaurants and expanding to include over 7 000 more in the years that followed.