Chinese-based ride-hailing service DiDi Chuxing is set to start operating in SA, and will take on the likes of Uber and Bolt.
According to Reuters, the company, which is backed by Softbank, made the announcement today, saying it will start operating in Cape Town.
DiDi Chuxing is a Chinese vehicle-for-hire company headquartered in Beijing, with over 600 million users and tens of millions of drivers.
The arrival of the company in SA comes at a time its competitor Uber is dealing with ongoing challenges as its drivers fight for employment status.
Following Uber’s recent announcement that it would concede employment rights to its UK drivers, its local drivers, in collaboration with attorneys from Mbuyisa Moleele Attorneys and Leigh Day (London), have called on Uber SA to do the right thing and acknowledge its drivers are legally entitled to statutory employment.
DiDi provides app-based transportation services, including taxi-hailing, private car-hailing, social ride-sharing and bike-sharing; on-demand delivery services; and automobile services, including sales, leasing, financing, maintenance, fleet operation, electric vehicle charging and co-development of vehicles with automakers.
On its Web site, DiDi says: “DiDi South Africa is part of the world-leading transportation platform DiDi Chuxing, which offers a full range of app-based transportation services to more than 600 million users across Asia, Latin America and Russia.
“DiDi South Africa understands the challenges communities and the transportation industry face with the evolution of urban mobility (rideshare) and as a result is committed to creating the freedom and convenience to go places, open up horizons and give access to new experiences through our platforms.”
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