Your personal info is now available to police when using this Uber rival in South Africa

E-hailing service inDrive has officially introduced a new online portal to assist law enforcement in their investigations of safety concerns in South Africa.

The company established a dedicated Law Enforcement Request Portal, which provides a secure and formal channel to access user data for the purposes of an investigation.

“This development is part of inDrive’s broader commitment to safety, transparency and collaboration with South African authorities,” said the company.

The portal is not open to the public to uphold personal information and privacy laws.

Rather, the platform has been designed to be exclusively used by authorized law enforcement officials, who are required to submit an official request before they can access the data.

“By submitting a request, officials acknowledge that they are acting in their official capacity,” said inDrive.

“All information provided by inDrive in response is intended exclusively for law enforcement use and must not be shared with any third parties.”

The e-hailing service stated that the portal was developed as a measure to improve safety in response to South Africa’s growing crime rates.

“This portal reinforces our commitment to working hand-in-hand with law enforcement and other stakeholders to prioritize safety across all our services,” it said.

“We recognize that quick, secure access to information is crucial for effective investigations, and this tool helps make that possible while maintaining user privacy and data integrity.”

Country Representative for inDrive South Africa, Ashif Black, added to this, stating that the portal is an important asset that will help to establish trust and peace-of-mind with customers that use the e-hailing service.

“We are proud to support the South African Police Service and other authorities in creating safer communities through collaboration and transparency,” said Black.

The Law Enforcement Request Portal is not the first safety policy to be introduced by inDrive, as the company has also taken an official stance on gender-based violence (GBV).

The e-hailing service announced last month that it would increase the number of female drivers on its platform so that more women would be comfortable travelling on their own.

It also said it will provide more transport options and economic empowerment opportunities for women, though it did not give a detailed breakdown on what this would involve.

“This initiative aligns with the company’s broader mission to promote fairness and accessibility in the mobility sector,” said Black.

Safety concerns

Safety is a leading concern for the South African e-hailing industry, as users and drivers have both been targeted for criminal activities from kidnappings to hijackings and assaults.

The issue has become so prevalent that a number of local e-hailing companies have sprung up in recent years that promise a bigger emphasis on safety.

One example, Shesha, operates exclusively in Gauteng and performs a background check on all applicants before allowing them to become drivers.

It also submits user verification data through the Department of Home Affairs to ensure that its operators can be trusted.

Another company, Twytch, has only been around for a few months but is piloting its own safety policy to check users on its platform.

Twytch’s verification process involves blockchain technology, which it uses to check the credentials of drivers and passengers that use its systems.

Each ride has a verified passenger and driver whose details are stored cryptographically on a decentralized blockchain, making the data impossible to forge or alter.

One final example is Wanatu, which equips all of its cars with a dashcam, an inward-facing camera, a GPS tracker, a two-way radio, and a panic button.

Wanatu is currently limited to Centurion and Pretoria, though the service intends to launch in more towns and cities in the near future.