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South Africa
Scores (out of 10)
Impacts
In consultation with the Fairwork team, the following platforms agreed to implement changes to their policies or practices:
Fair Pay:
1.1: getTOD has reduced the commission they claim for labour (25%) and materials (5%) on each work engagement, to 20% on labour only.
1.1: Besides an inflationary increase to base delivery fees this year, Mr D has introduced a variable fuel surcharge to compensate drivers for additional costs arising from fuel increases. Several increases in line with changes in the fuel price have been made since the surcharge was introduced at the end of 2021.
Fair Conditions:
2.1: As part of their commitment to upskilling their tradespeople, getTOD has trained more than 60 small companies across South Africa on how to install smart devices, and it continues to do so.
Fair Contracts:
3.1: SweepSouth has re-structured their contract, reorganised the content, and simplified the language to make terms and conditions clearer for workers.
Fair Management:
4.1: SweepSouth have changed their terms and conditions to include the process for workers to appeal low ratings, non-payment, payment issues, deactivations, and other penalties and disciplinary actions.
4.2: Mr D is making continuous progress in contracting more females into their workforce. Female driver representation has increased from 11.5% in 2021, to 13.9% in 2022.
Fair Representation:
5.1: getTod continues to reach out in attempts to identify associations willing to work with them to assist workers to organise, collectively express their wishes and be listened to.
5.1: SweepSouth made a public statement in 2021 confirming their willingness to engage in collective bargaining and published this in a blog. SweepSouth have now agreed to find a better way of conveying this commitment to platform workers.
Scores (out of 10)
Impacts
In consultation with the Fairwork team, the following platforms agreed to implement changes to their policies or practices:
Fair Conditions:
2.1: Sweepsouth commited to remove personal addresses or Sweepstars from customer invoices
Fair Contracts:
3.1: GetTOD converted their terms and conditions from UK to South African law.
3.1: NoSweat has created a non-technical version of their terms and conditions (T&Cs) to ensure that all workers have a thorough understanding of the contract they are committing to. This has served as a model for M4Jam to adopt a similar approach to their T&Cs.
Fair Management:
4.2: SweepSouth released a public commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
Fair Representation:
5.1: SweepSouth released a public statement confirming their willingness to engage in collective bargaining
Scores (out of 10)
Impacts
In consultation with the Fairwork team, the following platforms agreed to implement changes to their policies or practices:
Fair Pay:
1.2: GetTOD agreed to pay all workers above the national living wage.
1.2: NoSweat to pay workers above a living wage.
Fair Contracts:
3.1: NoSweat added a simplifying ‘explainer’ to accompany the contract.
Fair Management:
4.1: GetTOD clarified disciplinary processes in contract.
4.1: NoSweat documented the grievance channel and process in ‘purchase order’ (contract).
4.2: Sweepsouth committed to develop policy on non-discrimination within the next 12 months.
Fair Representation:
5.2: GetTOD added a statement on union recgonition added to contract.
Scores (out of 10)
Impacts
In consultation with the Fairwork team, the following platforms agreed to implement changes to their policies or practices:
Fair Pay:
1.2: NoSweat instituted policy to pay all workers over the minimum wage after costs
Fair Conditions:
2.1: NoSweat changed its buyer terms and conditions so clients on the platform agree to protect workers’ health and safety
Fair Management:
4.1: NoSweat developed a portal and process for workers to lodge grievances
Fair Representation:
5.2: Bottles committed to support the development of a workers’ organisation that could undertake collective bargaining, if one were to exist
Related press coverage
SA’s gig economy sees worsening working conditions
ITWeb, 02 February 2024
Factors such as South Africa’s economic downturn, the aftermath of COVID-19 and poor levels of safety and security have led to the deterioration of working conditions among the country’s platform workers.
SA digital platform workers face discrimination and safety threats – report
The Citizen, 01 February 2024
Survey reveals that food delivery and e-hailing workers are regularly exposed to violent crime.
Gig worker safety and discrimination cited in latest Fairwork SA Report
hypertext, 31 January 2024
The reality is that the average gig worker faces a tough day-to-day existence where the hours put in often do not equate to any kind of worthwhile profit.
Domestic workers in South Africa say they’re forced to work extra hours for free
rest of world, 04 January 2024
Women who work as domestic cleaners with SweepSouth, an on-demand app, say clients frequently ask them to do unpaid work, and the company hasn’t responded to their complaints.
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