10 Min Read Most of 27 drivers interviewed in the dark on insurance claims Drivers set up informal groups for assistance, financial support
JOHANNESBURG/BERLIN, April 14 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - M ore than a year after Malawian driver Matthew was hit by a car while delivering food on his motorbike in South Africa, he lives with a shooting pain in his foot and fears for his life every time he hits the road.
His injuries, including a broken toe and various cuts, left him unable to work for a month, but the company he was riding for - Uber Eats - told him he did not qualify for compensation as he was in hospital for less than 48 hours.
Drivers and analysts fear the number of logged accidents was the tip of the iceberg as many drivers avoid reporting incidents due to their undocumented status in SA and concern about losing jobs.
“I have seen drivers die on the road, a lot, and so many injured,” said Matthew, who left Malawi four years ago in search of a better life.
He said many drivers do not report accidents because “it is a waste of time”.
CALLS FOR CHANGE
As the number of accidents rises, increasing numbers of drivers are pushing for a formal national union to help couriers fight for better working conditions.
Most of 27 drivers interviewed in the dark on insurance claims Drivers set up informal groups for assistance, financial support
By Kim Harrisberg and Avi Asher-Schapiro
JOHANNESBURG/BERLIN, April 14 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - M ore than a year after Malawian driver Matthew was hit by a car while delivering food on his motorbike in South Africa, he lives with a shooting pain in his foot and fears for his life every time he hits the road.
His injuries, including a broken toe and various cuts, left him unable to work for a month, but the company he was riding for - Uber Eats - told him he did not qualify for compensation as he was in hospital for less than 48 hours.
More than a year after Malawian driver Matthew was hit by a car while delivering food on his motorbike in South Africa, he lives with a shooting pain in his foot and fears for his life every time he hits the road.
More than a year after Malawian driver Matthew was hit by a car while delivering food on his motorbike in South Africa, he lives with a shooting pain in his foot and fears for his life every time he hits the road.
His injuries, including a broken toe and various cuts, left him unable to work for a month, but the company he was riding for - Uber Eats - told him he did not qualify for compensation as he was in hospital for less than 48 hours. I felt totally abandoned, Matthew - who asked not to use his real name for fear of retaliation - told the Thomson Reuters Foundation from his home in Pretoria.