Pick n Pay asap! driver reveals insider details

It is 05:30, and Picup delivery driver Patience kisses his sleeping young children goodbye as he heads off for his 13-hour shift delivering groceries for its partner Pick n Pay asap!

Patience, whose name was changed for job security reasons, clocks in at 07:00 and finishes at 20:00. He works from Monday to Saturday, leaving little time for family.

Paid on a per delivery basis, what he earns depends on how busy the day is. It can be as few as five deliveries or as many as twenty in a day.

He is seen as an independent contractor. This means Patience has to provide his own vehicle and cover almost all expenses, including most of the petrol, bike maintenance/rent, and data, which costs cumulatively ~R1,000 weekly.

The basic rate is about R30 for deliveries within 0 to 5 kilometres and an additional amount for distances over 5 kilometres, equating to a few extra rands per delivery.

On a bad month, Patience will take home around R2,500. On a good month with many deliveries, he will take home over R3,000 after operating expenses.

According to the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group, a basic nutritional diet for a family of four costs R4,730 a month.

So, to make ends meet, after clocking off from that 13-hour day, he clocks in again for Uber Eats to make it across the line.

“I am missing my children growing up to try and get food on the table,” Patience told BusinessTech in an interview.

This is not a story about just one driver from one company but the reality of most on-demand delivery drivers, whose work involves low take-home pay, long hours, and a lack of support.

BusinessTech and MyBroadband spoke to numerous delivery drivers like Patience to get their experiences.

Interestingly, they all had told us they were recently told that they were prohibited from engaging with the press.

Not wanting to hear about the on-the-ground experiences of drivers from managers in air-conditioned offices, drivers from across the board were willing to candidly talk off-camera on condition of anonymity.

The industry

On-demand grocery shopping has transformed South Africa’s retail market, providing convenience for consumers and opportunities for retailers.

South Africa’s online retail revenue rose from R4.43 billion in 2013 to over R71 billion in 2023, and it is projected to exceed R100 billion by 2026.

Major grocery chains like Checkers Sixty60, Pick n Pay asap!, Woolies Dash, and SPAR2U have emerged and thrived to meet this demand.

In the 45 weeks ended 5 January 2025, Pick n Pay’s online sales growth was 42.5%, driven by the continued growth of Pick n Pay asap! and Pick n Pay Groceries on the Mr D app.

The company partners with Picup, a delivery and technology company that is a subsidiary of Karooooo Limited.

Gig economy workers fuel this growth. These are delivery drivers who can potentially earn more per hour compared to traditional labour due to incentives, surge pricing, and tips.

These drivers are not given employee status and are independent contractors. They are responsible for their own vehicles and expenses and thus lack additional benefits, much like Uber drivers.

Delivery drivers experience both advantages and disadvantages in their work.

On the positive side, they have increased earning potential, multiple job opportunities, and flexible work hours.

Drivers informed BusinessTech that they find working for Picup productive and enjoyable, with effective management.

They also appreciate the opportunity to earn more money through the number of deliveries they complete in a day.

However, they also said that it is far from sunshine and roses.

A study by Phumzile Princess Ngubeni from the University of Johannesburg highlighted the precarious nature of gig work, where flexibility comes at the cost of financial stability and labour rights.

She highlighted that these workers ultimately face long hours, low wages, and job insecurity while also risking dangers, including high crime rates, safety concerns during deliveries, and harassment on the road.

Drivers’ experiences

While the generated income for a driver may seem appealing, Picup drivers said that the take-home reality for drivers is not very attractive.

Drivers like Patience earn R30 per delivery. Compensation is also adjusted based on distance and fuel, ranging from R4 to over R25, plus tips.

After covering operational expenses, his take-home pay is about half his gross earnings. It hovers between R2,500 and R3,000 per month.

Another driver reported earning only R2,800 monthly after deductions for fuel, bike rent, data, and maintenance costs.

After expenses, most drivers said that they take home between R2,400 and R5,400 a month, which often requires them to pick up another form of work to supplement their income.

“I earn enough just to feed my family and rent. That’s it. The rest goes towards paying to be able to work here,” said one driver.

However, others who own their own bikes have reported higher take home earnings, sitting closer at R6,500.

With that said, delivery drivers also face demanding schedules that impact their work-life balance.

While more deliveries lead to higher earnings, drivers often push themselves to maximize their pay, raising concerns about reckless driving and safety.

The hours they work can vary, with some days busier than others, influencing how much they take home.

One Pick n Pay asap! driver said that they are now offered single, long slots, such as from 07:00 to 20:00, which reduces schedule flexibility and makes it difficult for him to spend time with family.

Foreign nationals and ‘benefits’

Beyond financial difficulties, the UJ paper highlighted that drivers lack benefits like sick leave, health insurance, or compensation for occupational injuries and have limited labour protections.

Many have reported incidents of being robbed of their deliveries, money, electronics, and even their motorcycles. Some have been in accidents. Many said that there is a lack of support.

As they are considered independent contractors, they are not covered like employees.

“You contact the company for the information period. Then, you’re on your own,” said another Pick n Pay asap! driver.

Additionally, a large portion of the workforce across South Africa’s gig economy are foreign nationals.

“I am not from South Africa. I can either accept this as my reality or earn nothing at all,” said one driver.

Democratic Alliance MP and attorney Michael Bagraim previously slammed the use of independent contractors in the workforce in feedback to GroundUp.

“They get no benefits whatsoever, and they have no protection of our labour law,” said Bagraim. “It forces the purported employees to take as many trips as possible, putting their lives in danger.”

Meet us halfway, say drivers

Despite the challenges, delivery drivers have expressed their gratitude for earning an income, particularly in a country plagued by high unemployment.

However, they did share suggestions for Picup, and ultimately Pick n Pay, to improve their working conditions.

One common request is for more assistance with fuel costs. Drivers bear much of the expense of petrol, which can take up a substantial portion of their earnings.

As one driver who works for Uber after his 13-hour shift noted, “Maybe if you can meet us halfway, it can make a huge difference.”

Another area for improvement involves how tips are handled and calculated.

One driver highlighted the issue of transparency, stating that at the end of the week, they receive a total amount of all tips without a breakdown of individual tips.

He said that this makes it difficult to verify the accuracy of the amount.

Additionally, drivers want Pick n Pay to reconsider situations where they get two orders. However, the payment for the second order does not account for the distance travelled to drop off the first order.

BusinessTech reached out to Pick n Pay for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

In response to our questions, Picup said that “due to SEC regulations, we are unable to provide this detailed confidential information.”