Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, has praised ride-hailing platform Bolt for its €100 million (R1.87 billion) investment aimed at enhancing safety for both riders and drivers. Maile made these remarks during an event in Johannesburg, where Bolt launched its global safety campaign.
The three-year financial commitment by Bolt will support various safety initiatives, including product development, customer support, safety feature awareness, and preventive measures to reduce incidents. Bolt’s Safety Team, consisting of over 500 specialists, will lead these efforts. The team includes customer support specialists working 24/7 from Safety Hubs, as well as Safety Experts based in Tallinn, Estonia, who focus on product development, engineering, and operations.
Maile highlighted the importance of the initiative, particularly as November marks the start of the Global 16 Days Campaign, also known as the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. He noted that Bolt’s safety campaign aligns with the ongoing fight against gender-based violence in South Africa.
“In a country grappling with gender-based violence and femicide, Bolt’s safety initiatives and preventative measures are especially welcome,” said Maile. “The unique economic and demographic profile of Gauteng, linked to crime levels higher than the national average, makes safety interventions in the e-hailing industry a social and economic necessity.”
Bolt plans to introduce new safety features in the coming months to strengthen the trust between drivers and riders. These include trip verification features like unique four-digit trip pickup codes and trip count verification, aimed at ensuring a secure match between riders and drivers. The company will also continue to expand its Rider Verification solution.
In addition to these new tools, Bolt will upgrade existing features such as Ride Check, which detects unexpected changes in trip routes or delays. The Trusted Contacts feature will escalate Ride Check alerts to a friend or family member if necessary. The platform will also introduce a Record Audio feature, allowing in-app audio recordings to be submitted during safety investigations.
Simo Kalajdzic, Senior Operations Manager at Bolt, emphasized the company’s commitment to safety, stating: “We take our responsibility to ensure the safety of our platform seriously. With this €100 million investment over three years, we acknowledge that safety requires a comprehensive, end-to-end approach across our business in South Africa.”
The initiative reflects Bolt’s dedication to creating a safer environment in the e-hailing industry, addressing both social concerns and economic priorities in South Africa.