Uber has launched a Women Driver’s ride-type service in South Africa, allowing female users to select female drivers when ordering a trip.
The e-hailing company stated that the new option was added in response to growing demand for safer, more inclusive mobility options, and that it is committed to ensuring innovation, empowerment, and trust in our market.
“Safety is top of mind for many women when they travel. With Women Drivers, we’re giving them the power of choice — the option to select a female driver,” said Deepesh Thomas, Uber Sub-Saharan Africa general manager.
“It’s a simple update in the app, but one that delivers a significant boost in confidence, peace of mind, and control over how they move through their cities.”
Uber explained that the new service draws on extensive testing and customer feedback from other markets, such as France and the United States, where the option was adapted based on rider and driver behaviour.
“Uber has localised these insights to meet the specific needs of South African riders and drivers, where safety perceptions remain one of the most important factors in choosing mobility solutions,” the company said.
“Women riders gain greater choice and peace of mind when booking trips, while female drivers benefit from increased earning potential and the ability to connect with riders who prefer women behind the wheel.”
The new option is only visible to female users on the app and is exclusively meant for women.
Even if a man is accompanying a women, they will not be eligible to ride in a car where this setting is selected.
“When a trip is requested, female drivers have full visibility that the request has come through this product, allowing them to make informed choices about the trips they accept.”
The company said that this would give female drivers greater flexibility to accept requests from women only during periods of high demand.
When the driver arrives, they have the option to cancel the trip at no charge if the rider who ordered the trip has a male companion.
This is to ensure that the driver can also maintain their safety if they feel uncomfortable proceeding with the trip.
The Uber Women Drivers product is supported by the app’s existing safety features, such as GPS tracking, Share My Trip, RideCheck, and 24/7 in-app emergency support.
The company has yet to explain how this option’s pricing compares to other services like UberGo, UberX, and UberBlack.
Thomas said the Women Drivers product was part of how Uber was “thinking differently about mobility” in the country.
“We’re innovating not just with technology, but with solutions that respond to the real needs of our users,” he said.
Better late than never
Uber is not the first e-hailing service to introduce a women-only product in South Africa.
Bolt rolled out its Women Only initiative back in 2021, which is now available in 12 major cities such as Cape Town, Joburg, Pretoria, and Durban.
The local startup Kgosigadi Rides was specifically made for female users and only offers female drivers.
More recently, the Pretoria-based startup Wanatu also allows users to request rides with specific drivers, including a female-only option.
All of these services have been launched amid growing concerns about the safety of e-hailing apps in South Africa.
The past few years have seen a rise in headlines about female riders being taken to unknown locations to be robbed, and drivers are also targeted by criminals posing as customers.
The Department of Transport recently also introduced new legislation that aims to improve the safety of the services.
It requires that e-hailing drivers obtain new operating permits, install panic buttons, and brand their vehicles to signify that they are ride-hailing services.
However, there are concerns that the branding requirement will make it easier for taxi operators to single out e-hailing drivers on the roads.
Minibus taxi operators have frequently resorted to violent tactics over the past few years to crush e-hailing services on their routes, which they view as unfair competition.
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