How much money Woolies Dash delivery riders make in South Africa

Woolies Dash drivers earn approximately R7,000 to R9,000 per month before expenses in South Africa.

On-demand grocery delivery services are incredibly popular in South Africa, but there have been a growing number of complaints and allegations within the industry that its workers are not being fairly compensated.

TopAuto recently published an article covering the amount of money that Checkers Sixty60 drivers earn in South Africa, based on a report from MyBroadband documenting the experience of a former operator.

Shortly after the article was published, TopAuto was contacted by a driver working for Woolies Dash, who said that they wanted to share their own experiences within the industry.

The individual has asked to remain anonymous until they have legal backup, and will thus be referred to as “Driver A” for the purposes of this story.

TopAuto reached out to Woolworths to allow for comment on the matter, but did not receive a reply by the time of publication.

Getting by as a delivery driver in South Africa

Driver A is based in Mpumalanga and started working as a “delivery contractor” for Woolies Dash earlier this year.

They explained that the service pays workers per trip, but that there have been inconsistencies with how much people are paid.

They alleged that the first riders to be recruited earn around R40 for every trip within a 5km radius, but that newer operators earn about R30 per trip.

However, the margin is actually lower than this, as Woolies Dash is managed by OneCar, which hired an agency called BikeSolve to organize its fleet of drivers.

BikeSolve takes a commission of R5 per trip, which means newer riders only end up earning around R25-R35 per trip, depending on when they were hired.

Driver A noted that Woolies Dash riders may earn slightly more than Checkers Sixty60 as Woolworths pays more for deliveries outside a 5km radius.

They stated that a typical Woolies Dash driver earns around R7,000 to R9,000 per month.

This is not the full story, though, as e-commerce drivers are on the hook for their own fuel, maintenance, and transport.

Driver A actually uses a car instead of a motorbike, and they claimed that servicing their car cost about R3,000, and monthly fuel expenses are generally around R3,500 to R3,800.

They also said that most car users own their vehicles and do not rent, but that bike users typically rent their transport for R700 per month.

Driver A also spoke about the working conditions and hours that Woolies Dash riders are expected to adhere to.

Riders are required to operate from 08h30 to 18h00, which is a nine-and-a-half-hour work day.

If an individual fails to meet a quota for a minimum number of trips, they are allegedly blocked from the app for seven days.

Driver A furthermore alleged that it is not uncommon for people to be barred from the app and replaced due to things like their vehicle breaking down, claiming that it is more important for the company to maintain the service than assist its drivers.

They said they do not blame the Dash store supervisors, however, as they are simply following a mandate set by the higher-ups.