Immigrants working for food delivery companies like Uber Eats, MrD Food, and OrderIn as independent contractors say they are exploited. Often they use their own motorbikes, pay their own insurance and may earn as little as R15 a delivery.<\/p>\n
Men from Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Burundi and DRC say they are in this kind of business because they are desperate.<\/p>\n
Two of the three companies did not respond to queries from GroundUp on pay and working conditions. The company which did respond said that it was unlikely the drivers were not making profit.<\/p>\n
Francois (name changed) is Congolese. He has a degree in accounting \u201cbut with an asylum document it is difficult to get an accounting job,\u201d he says. He works for Uber Eats, operating on the Woodstock-Wynberg route. When he spoke to us in Rondebosch last week he was about to pick up an order. He is paid R14 for picking up food and R1.20 thereafter per kilometre. He asked not to be named.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really don\u2019t like this job but I am doing it because there is nothing else to do and my family needs to be taken care of. I have been with Uber for three months. Making profit is dependent on how hard I\u2019m working. I stay online nonstop, from 9am to 11pm. Data and petrol are expensive. Customers don\u2019t really tip. The only benefit I get from Uber is an app,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He wishes Uber would help him with insurance in case of an accident. He says many drivers have been involved in accidents.<\/p>\n
Samantha Allenberg, Uber spokesperson, said, \u201cUber Eats offers people, who want access to flexible opportunities, the opportunity to make some extra money delivering great local food.\u201d She did not respond to our questions about pay rates or insurance, but suggested we contact other delivery companies.<\/p>\n
Explaining the need for insurance, a Burundian man said he was involved in an accident in 2014 and still had trouble with his leg. He said OrderIn had refused to help at the time. \u201cIt would be better if the company would contribute towards insurance. We are on our own.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSince 2014 when I started doing this work I still get R20 for a delivery. In our last negotiations the company said if we are not happy with their offer we can leave,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
OrderIn did not respond to questions sent by GroundUp, despite emails and several telephone calls.<\/p>\n
A Rwandan delivery man said, \u201cWhen it\u2019s raining my job becomes more dangerous and I sometimes become involved in accidents. We have mates seriously injured, some even dying. But we do not have an option.\u201d<\/p>\n
The man who is contracted to MrD Food said that after deducting operating costs such as fuel, data, motorbike maintenance he battled to clear R800 a week.<\/p>\n
Mark Musto, National Franchise Operations Manager for Takealot.com, which owns MrD Food, said delivery services were provided by independent contractors, who were offered a \u201cwilling buyer\/willing seller\u201d service rate before signing a contract.<\/p>\n
He said contractors were paid between R15 and R27 per delivery, \u201cdepending on a number of factors\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome independent contractors are supplied with a vehicle and receive a lower delivery rate. Some supply their own vehicles and deliver services further away, so they receive a higher rate.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIndependent contractors work in a small prescribed radius, it\u2019s unlikely that the independent contractors are not making profit.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the company\u2019s research suggested the drivers travelled on average 6km or less from collection to delivery. A Honda PCX150 motorbike, for example, could make 45 deliveries on a single tank of fuel, Musto said, \u201ca clear indication that it is a profitable partnership\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition, 100% of all tips are also paid to independent contractors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Musto said, \u201cWe increase the rate yearly according to the country\u2019s inflation rate and we make sure our partners comply.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe company is willing to assist independent contractors to obtain insurance on their vehicles, it sounds like a wonderful upliftment project and we look forward to engaging with the drivers to further this discussion,\u201d Musto said.<\/p>\n
Article written by\u00a0Tariro Washinyira<\/strong>.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n This article\u00a0has been republished\u00a0under a\u00a0Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License from GroundUp<\/a><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n