Women-Only Ride-Hailing Service To Soon Launch In SA As War Against Gender-Based Violence Heightens

A women-only ride-hailing service will soon be unveiled in South Africa.

CheufHer, connects female drivers with female passengers via an app and works just like Taxify and Uber. The service was created to be by women, for women, ”so you know that someone you can trust is picking you up’.

Cases of cab drivers robbing, kidnapping and raping female passengers have been on a rapid rise in South Africa. Many women say they get nervous every time they think of taking a cab because they know their safety is never guaranteed.

The service will soon be rolled out in Cape Town and unlike many other ride-hailing services, CheufHer drivers’ as well as passengers will be thoroughly vetted. Other than women, only kids will be allowed in as passengers.

The service has taken into account the importance of safety and is putting plans in place to ensure the entire process is built around safety.

While the new ride-hailing service aims to provide women with a safer mode of transportation, the government is yet to implement measures to combat the rising cases of violence against women.

South African women recently took to the streets in thousands as they protested the government’s reluctance to tackle the increasing cases of violence. Recent cases of women being brutally attacked and murdered in South Africa have headlined tabloids across the globe putting SA on the spotlight.

Cyril Ramaphosa earlier in an address to the nation did admit that the country is facing a national crisis of violence against women. He said the government will look for financial resources to “coordinate our campaign against gender-based violence”.

The President further reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the war against gender-based violence and femicide.

The Southern African country was recently ranked the world’s most dangerous country for women traveling alone.

A Crime Against Women in South Africa report by Statistics SA also shows that femicide is 5 times higher than the global average. Worse, there is no single place in South Africa where women safety is guaranteed as even a short jog could end up being a rob, rape or murder case.

According to government records, over 1500 people are murdered every month in South Africa. Last year alone, about 3000 women were murdered, this means, one every three hours – which is more than five times higher than the global average, according to the World Health Organisation.

In a move aimed at protecting women and ensuring they are safe, various restaurants across South Africa announced that their doors are open for those walking on the streets and who may feel unsafe.

“You don’t need to buy anything. If you are here and you need to walk to your car alone, ask us to walk with you to make sure you are safe. If you are ever in our space and you don’t feel safe, please tell us,” one of the restaurants wrote on Facebook.

Featured Image Courtesy: Azad Foundation