Tensions surround the sudden emergence of a new player on the public transport scene — the Bajaj Qute, a quadricycle operated by Bolt that offers short trips for as little as R21 for 6km.
Rival e-hailing drivers in Soweto are so angry that they have vowed to ensure none of these tiny vehicles makes a single trip in the township.
“We don’t want them here,” said one driver, Thato Ramaila.
“They are over-saturating the market. Already we have more supply of cars than the demand that is out there. If they are allowed to operate they may push the price of the ride even lower while the commission remains the same.
“We don’t have them here in Soweto and we won’t allow them at all. We won’t fight them or attack them but we will simply ask them to leave.”
While the Qute is getting a lot of attention and has won praise from Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi, it has also raised safety concerns.
While Bolt has invested heavily in the vehicles for its Bolt Lite platform, Vhatuka Mbelengwa, chair of the Private Public Transport Association — which represents e-hailing drivers — said the entry of the Indian-made quadricycle was “a hate crime against South Africa”.
The Qute, powered by a 216.6cc motorbike engine, can ferry passengers short distances at low speed and low cost. It has an 8l fuel tank, a top speed of 70km/h and sells for about R80,000.
Bolt bought an undisclosed number of them last month.
We won’t allow them at all. We won’t fight them or attack them but we will simply ask them to leave
— Rival driver Thato Ramaila
Bolt regional manager Takura Malaba said: “Our Lite category is being launched in collaboration with the Gauteng government’s economic development department, and we are encouraged by the opportunity to create economic earning opportunities for young people and women.”
He said the category provided more options for passengers on a tight budget.
“When compared to minibus taxis, buses and trains, our pricing is more than double... [so] this is not a threat to other modes of transport but rather a complementary mode of transport that works within the ecosystem that both drivers and passengers need in South Africa,” said Malaba.
But Mbelengwa said the Qute had a one-star safety rating and operated in a regulatory grey area.
“I know a few people who have ridden in one and they were not terribly impressed. Safety is real, and those things can easily tip over,” he said, adding that he had seen a video of four men lifting the car off the ground. “It weighs less than the Springbok front row.”
Uber driver spokesperson Zweli Ngwenya said the Qutes were “affecting us in a terrible way”.
“We have been crying to the Gauteng government about bad treatment and low fares — and now they join with Bolt Lite and Uber Eats in a partnership that frustrates us.”
Ngwenya said drivers needed all the business they could get. “We are living by God’s grace and now they are coming with this new idea to screw it all up.”
The transport department and Bolt’s rival service, Uber, declined to comment.
Bajaj Qutes have been on the streets of Johannesburg’s western suburbs, including Westbury, Bosmont, Maraisburg, Melville, Auckland Park and Florida, for some time, operated by ZA Tuk Service.
Justin Stanger, spokesperson for ZA Tuk Service, said a three-wheel version had been introduced five years ago in collaboration with the Johannesburg Community Taxi Association.
“The drivers are coming from the community, people know them and can trust them. If there is a problem they know where they can go to report it. The driver takes 20% of what they make on a daily basis,” Stanger said.
“Inside the township, in the morning you need the women to be taken to the taxi stop. The [regular] taxi remains on the main arteries and we do the small roads within the township. We don't use the arteries.”
In Johannesburg’s northern suburbs, Bajaj Qutes are roaming Rosebank, Braamfontein, Parktown, Killarney and Randburg — and drivers for other e-hailing services complain their business has dropped dramatically.
“In the past we used to wait for about 30 minutes and then we got a request. Now I can spend a full six hours without a single trip,” said Bolt driver Simon Mbedzi.
My colleagues who are still paying for the cars are in serious trouble
— Bolt driver Simon Mbedzi
“Customers are moving to the Bajaj when they are travelling short distances which takes away our butter. I am the lucky one because my car is fully paid. My colleagues who are still paying for the cars are in serious trouble.”
In Rosebank, Qute driver Sylvester Mapwashike said he had lots of customers but not much revenue.
“Local trips are R21. So even if there are many of them, I don’t make a lot. Sometimes I fetch a person who is 4km from where I am. I spend money to fetch the customer,” he said. “People like our cars. Some take a ride for fun. Wherever we are it is like we are celebrities. People take pictures and videos with our cars. They really like them.”
Mapwashike says it costs less than R200 to fill the tank, and every R1 he spends on petrol translates to income of R4. He can make about R700 a day in a very busy area.
Bolt takes a cut of about 12%, and its financing arm, My Next Car, charges R1,450 a week for the vehicle.
Before he became a Qute driver, Mapwashike survived on piece work.
“The one challenge is [physical danger] because the traditional taxis are not happy with our presence. Four days ago some people attacked two of our cars in Faraday. You really have to be careful,” he said.
“Apart from that, it is a decent job for someone who is committed to work hard by themselves. If you are lazy you will not survive.”
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