The Mayor of Joburg, Dada Morelo, announced the intention to join forces with the taxi industry and ride-hailing companies to make the city safer for women amid growing concerns over gender-based violence.
Morelo made this statement at the Johannesburg City Hall lecture hall in Soweto Theatre on Sunday, September 20. He reported that the city recently contacted taxi associations and agreed to work together to combat gender-based violence and improve women's safety when using public transport.
He emphasized that they would become the 'eyes and ears of the police and our communities' and would not ignore problems, promising to 'enter dark places and make them safe for our women so they can walk, run, live, and play.'
The partnership will also extend to ride-hailing services, as Morelo acknowledged that some crimes occur during trips on such platforms. He noted that economic growth is important for creating safer public transport, necessitating a partnership with taxi associations that also covers ride-hailing services.
These statements came against the backdrop of an ongoing police investigation into the deaths of nine women in Ekurhuleni. Eight victims have been identified, and three suspects appeared in court on Monday regarding the murder of the ninth victim, whose body was found in Don Park.
Morelo clarified that the city's approach would go beyond infrastructure, and safety must become part of service delivery programs.
Sabata Mbobo, a representative of the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) for Greater Johannesburg, stated that the taxi industry is cooperating with the city and has begun training some drivers and queue coordinators in business communication and customer service skills. Mbobo stated that SANTACO Greater Johannesburg respects all women and condemns any form of gender-based violence.
At the national women's safety summit last month, SANTACO insisted that women's safety should become a standard in the taxi industry, including issues such as safer parking areas, adequate lighting, and access to clean toilets.
For women using ride-hailing services, Bolt has introduced several safety measures, including an in-app panic button, real-time location tracking, trip sharing, Ride Check monitoring, boarding codes, and a safety map for high-risk areas. Additionally, suitable passengers can use Bolt's 'Women for Women' category to book rides with female partner drivers.
Simo Kaladjizich, Senior Operations Manager and Bolt South Africa representative, reported that serious complaints against drivers are treated as a priority. Upon receiving a report, a trained Bolt security officer contacts the complainant to fully hear their version, conduct a welfare check, and explain the next steps.
He added that drivers are blocked from the platform during investigations of serious complaints, with potential permanent exclusion depending on the outcome. Bolt conducts thorough internal analysis using system data, including a full trip record: trip start, time and distance traveled, selected route, any deviations from the expected path, and trip completion.
Bolt also interacts with the city and organizations such as the Crime and Security Management Association, the Institute for Security Research, JoziMyJozi, the Gauteng Protection and Monitoring Association, and private security companies to exchange safety information, identify high-risk zones, and strengthen responses to threats faced by passengers.