{"id":811498,"date":"2025-02-18T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=811498"},"modified":"2025-02-18T09:00:26","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T07:00:26","slug":"checkers-sixty60-drivers-reveal-insider-information-including-how-much-money-they-make","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/business\/811498\/checkers-sixty60-drivers-reveal-insider-information-including-how-much-money-they-make\/","title":{"rendered":"Checkers Sixty60 drivers reveal insider information, including how much money they make"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BusinessTech interviewed numerous Checkers Sixty60 drivers, who revealed how much money they make, the high number of foreign drivers, and engaging in dangerous road behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Checkers Sixty60 is a trailblazer in on-demand grocery delivery in South Africa. Launched in 2019, it quickly became the country’s dominant grocery delivery service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Checkers pioneered the on-demand grocery delivery market in South Africa,” Shoprite, which owns Checkers Sixty60, told BusinessTech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Several competitors subsequently followed suit, and within a few years, it is a service which has grown to benefit numerous stakeholders, including retailers, suppliers, customers, and delivery drivers.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the pandemic, it received a significant boost when lockdowns and concerns over COVID-19 encouraged people to use delivery services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Shoprite\u2019s latest annual report, it reported that Checkers Sixty60 revenue increased 530.2% since FY2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Checkers Sixty60 promises customers to deliver their orders within 60 minutes of ordering and, therefore, relies heavily on efficient logistics. The backbone of Checkers Sixty60\u2019s logistics success is Pingo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In October 2024, the Competition Commission approved Shoprite’s transaction to acquire the remaining 50% of Pingo Delivery it did not already own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shoprite CEO Pieter Engelbrecht explained the deal was significant as relying on third-party operators could pose problems as Sixty60 expanded quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe need to have the entire value chain delivered at speed with continuous enhancements,” Engelbrecht said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We are growing at such a pace that it is hard to keep up with us in terms of third-party vendors that maybe do not have the same balance sheet.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said the acquisition made sense given the retailer\u2019s plans to significantly expand Sixty60\u2019s brand and offer a similar service for spaza shop owners at its wholesale retailer, Cash & Carry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Sixty60 is available at over 500 locations, provides more than 9,000 jobs, and its sales have increased over tenfold since the first half of 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Checkers Sixty60 drivers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Shoprite said Sixty60 has created 11,681 on-demand delivery jobs since its inception and “continues to do so as its service expands beyond groceries to include general merchandise.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An impressive feat, none of this would be possible without those on the frontline of delivering the products \u2013 the drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delivery drivers expressed that they experience both advantages and disadvantages in their work and shared their experiences with BusinessTech on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We were told we are not allowed to speak to journalists,” said one Sixty60 driver. “Someone spoke out last year, and the company was not happy at all.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These drivers are ultimately gig economy workers, who can potentially earn more per hour compared to traditional labour due to incentives, surge pricing, and tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, these drivers are not given employee status and are considered independent contractors, responsible for their own vehicles and many expenses, and thus often lack additional benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the positive side, they have increased earning potential, multiple job opportunities, and flexible work hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many drivers told BusinessTech they find working for Checkers Sixty60 productive and well-managed, with the potential to earn a healthy amount through the number of daily deliveries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, they also noted that there are many downsides, and have noted that they have had to pick up other work to subsidise their income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A study by Phumzile Princess Ngubeni from the University of Johannesburg pointed out the challenges of gig work, where flexibility comes with financial instability and lack of labor rights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drivers face long hours, low wages, job insecurity, and dangers such as high crime rates, safety risks during deliveries, and road harassment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much money Checkers Sixty60 drivers make<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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A big point of contention between drivers and the company is take-home pay. Drivers are paid on a per-delivery basis, with adjustments for batched deliveries (one or two at a time).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The drivers told BusinessTech they make an average of 15 deliveries daily. Some reported around 30 deliveries daily during their best days, though this is rare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drivers get a flat rate of R30, with adjustments for small subsidies for fuel ranging between R4 and R30 depending on the distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the generated income may seem appetising, drivers said that the take-home reality for drivers is not very attractive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many said that they would earn roughly R7,500 to R8,200 monthly when receiving the minimum fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drivers have the option of using their own motorbikes for deliveries or entering into a lease-to-own agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lease-to-own option includes a vehicle maintenance allowance and asset insurance with a linked service contract. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After covering operational expenses, they said that their take-home pay is about half their gross earnings after fuel, bike rent, data, and maintenance costs deductions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They said that their fuel costs amounted to around R3,000 per month, and the bike rental was R400 per week, leaving them between R4,000 and R6,000 in net monthly earnings<\/strong>, depending on the month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, some have reported significantly higher take-home pay, particularly those who own their bikes, getting closer to R7,500. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shoprite vehemently denied this. “Drivers do not<\/strong> subsidise their own petrol. A fuel surcharge is paid per delivery, according to specific kilometer bands, and it is adjusted monthly in line with the fuel price.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drivers from multiple store locations have told BusinessTech that the fuel subsidies are very far from enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shoprite chairperson Wendy Lucas-Bull said media reports regarding Pingo drivers\u2019 earnings were \u201corders of magnitude wrong\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

BusinessTech pressed the retailer to clear the air about this and provide facts to dispute the drivers’ claims. It refused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“For safety and security reasons, we do not share or publicly discuss confidential contractual agreements,” said Shoprite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drivers denied that the company’s subsidies effectively cover operating costs, saying these costs significantly drain their monthly finances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shoprite said their on-demand delivery company, Pingo, “offers best-in-class industry rates, and as the market-leading sixty-minute delivery service, Checkers Sixty60 is a highly desirable client for drivers.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, information received by BusinessTech showed that their R30 per trip flat rate is R10 less than Woolies Dash’s R40. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foreign nationals, driver safety, and benefits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There has been increasing attention on the makeup of locals in the on-demand delivery sector. Only around a quarter of the over 7,000 independent drivers on Pingo are South African.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lucas-Bull confirmed at the end of 2024 that just 23% of Pingo’s drivers are local, with an 80% drop-out rate for its driving programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Obviously, we are doing exit interviews. The main thing we are getting back is that South Africans don’t view that job as one they want to do, which is the challenge for us,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some have pinned this on the practices of independent contractors, whose approach is similar to Uber and other on-demand services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have been criticised for using the employment structure to avoid paying additional benefits over and above regular wages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Democratic Alliance MP and attorney Michael Bagraim criticised the company, stating drivers have historically received little to no benefits or labour law protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bagraim added that the Checkers Sixty60 drivers are forced to take countless dangerous trips to earn a decent living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He argued that South African courts will likely classify these drivers as employees due to their consistent hours and low wages, which do not align with independent contractor status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While more deliveries lead to higher earnings, drivers often push themselves to maximize their pay, raising concerns about reckless driving and road safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One driver, who is originally from Nigeria, said that he believes that most foreigners work for the company as it is a good source of income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, he said they have no freedom to complain because they are not guaranteed the same workers’ rights as South Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The company does not like it when people complain. Foreigners complain less cause we may not get a job anywhere else,” he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shoprite denied these accusations of mistreatment of benefits or taking advantage of drivers due to them being foreign nationals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Pingo offers comprehensive cover to all independent contractors whose benefits include death and disability cover, hospitalisation, unlimited ER services & support, casualty benefit, funeral cover and 3rd party liability protection,” it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Support to drivers includes in-field operations teams, regionalised workshop facilities, and a central support team that assists with technical needs.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Drivers from Checkers Sixty60 have shared some of their experiences working for this booming sector, with claims going head-to-head with those from Shoprite.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":101,"featured_media":811623,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9872],"tags":[5223,19894,20931,7520],"class_list":["post-811498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-checkers","tag-checkers-sixty60","tag-on-demand-delivery","tag-shoprite"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/811498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/101"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=811498"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/811498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":812523,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/811498\/revisions\/812523"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/811623"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=811498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=811498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=811498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}