Bolt's soccer tournament bridges divides in KZN e-hailing community

It was a day of fancy footwork and loud cheering at the Cato Manor Sports Grounds, Durban, this week when Bolt South Africa and members of KwaZulu-Natal’s e-hailing community came together for a friendly soccer tournament, and a deeper conversation about the future of their industry.

Held on Wednesday as part of Transport Month celebrations, the event brought together drivers, partners and transport stakeholders for a day of camaraderie, competition and open dialogue.

Beyond the light-hearted matches, the gathering provided an opportunity to tackle serious issues affecting the e-hailing sector, including the implementation of new National Land Transport Act (NLTA) regulations, driver welfare, and ongoing efforts to improve safety and accountability across the industry.

Building stronger partnerships

Bolt South Africa’s Senior Operations Manager, Simo Kalajdzic, said the company valued opportunities to engage directly with the people behind the wheel.

“It is an honour for us as Bolt to be on the ground with our drivers, the people who keep our platform moving every day,” Kalajdzic said.

“Through initiatives like this, we celebrate the spirit of Transport Month by fostering unity, dialogue and shared understanding within the e-hailing community.”

Teams made up of Bolt drivers and representatives from various e-hailing associations competed in spirited matches that showcased teamwork, pride and sportsmanship.

An awards ceremony rounded off the day, with the winning team taking home top honours, but it was the sense of solidarity and community spirit that ultimately stole the show.

Bolt expressed gratitude to the KwaZulu-Natal E-hailing Association for its collaboration and reaffirmed its commitment to building stronger partnerships with drivers and stakeholders in the province and beyond.

Amended act for e-hailing platforms

Last month, the Department of Transport gazetted the long-awaited National Land Transport Amendment Act, along with amended regulations which introduced e-hailing services as a recognised mode of transport.

Under the amended act, e-hailing operators are required to have valid operating licences and that all vehicles must be clearly branded with a sign indicating that they are e-hailing vehicles. Failure to operate without a valid operating licence carries the risk of a R100 000 fine or a jail term of up to two years.

Unity among stakeholders

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma commended Bolt for its friendly soccer tournament.

"We salute Bolt for this progressive initiative. We have already formed an enduring partnership with the company."

"I assigned officials from my office as part of preparing for the E-hailing Summit. This gathering involving ehailers and taxi operators and other stakeholders will take place over the next few weeks.This follows another meeting which took place last week with Bolt, KZN E-hailing Council and other key stakeholders. We want to ensure that we work together to strengthen the public transport sector. We must co-exist and build a stronger KwaZulu-Natal economically and socially."

SUNDAY TRIBUNE