Food delivery e-riders face ‘dehumanising’ work conditions as some earn R50 a day

According to the International Labour Research and Information Group (ILRIG), some food delivery e-riders in South Africa earn as little as R50 a day.

Others work up to 12 hours daily, seven days a week, just to make ends meet.

A new study has exposed the harsh realities facing motorcycle delivery riders in Cape Town and Johannesburg. It paints a picture of low wages, dangerous working conditions and little support from delivery platforms.

The research was conducted between July and September 2026. It involved interviews with 60 e-riders as part of a project by the ILRIG.

The findings challenge the idea that food delivery is a flexible side hustle. Instead, the study found that it is the sole source of income for most riders.

In fact, 98.3% of those interviewed worked full-time. Most had been continuously employed for more than two years.

Despite being classified as independent contractors, riders faced strict monitoring and surveillance. These included roster, rating and clocking systems, as well as rules enforced through algorithms.

“In the interviews conducted with the e-riders, several digital platforms were implicated in exposing workers to dehumanising and repressive working conditions through authoritarian algorithmic management,” writes Danmore Chuma, the author of the ILRIG research paper.

E-riders face long hours, low pay and mounting expenses

The study found that riders could work up to 12 hours a day, seven days a week. However, they were only paid per delivery, with no compensation for waiting time.

Some earned an average of around R35 per order. Others reported receiving as little as R17, despite rising fuel costs.

In an interview with Cape Talk, ILRIG’s Dan Montgoma revealed just how little some riders were taking home.

“Some riders were claiming they were getting five orders per day,” Montgoma said. “If those orders were paid around R20/ order, that would mean a rider would only earn R100/day.”

“In some instances, especially in the Western Cape, they were claiming they were only getting two-three orders per day, meaning riders were getting R60, even R50 per day.”

Even these meagre earnings are further eroded by running costs. Weekly expenses can include up to R800 for bike rental and R700 for fuel.

The study found riders facing monthly costs of around R200 for data and R1 500 for shared accommodation. Food and other essentials add further pressure.

Some platforms also penalise e-riders for rejecting orders.

“On stricter platforms, turning down a delivery is treated as a refusal to work, triggering fines or two-week suspensions,” Chuma added.

“To avoid punishment and protect their algorithmic scores, riders are forced to accept low-paying or dangerous assignments without question.”

The study found that riders with ratings below 75% could face immediate dismissal.

Crime, accidents and ‘dehumanising’ treatment

The financial pressures are compounded by serious safety risks. Riders regularly navigate crime hotspots and face robberies, hijackings and road accidents.

In Cape Town, areas identified as particularly dangerous include Bellville, Kensington, Elsies River, Cravenby and Belhar.

The majority of e-riders interviewed had either survived an accident themselves or lost a colleague on the road.

Migrant riders also reported xenophobia and hate speech from customers, restaurant staff, security guards and motorists.

The study further found that platforms offered little support when things went wrong. Some riders reported being threatened with account deactivation for speaking out about their working conditions.

Montgoma added that certain riders struggled to access compensation after workplace accidents.

“Some e-riders are paying the Road Accident Fund R235.25 a week,” Montgoma said. “They told us that in some instances, they weren’t getting their RAF claims if they were involved in an accident.”

Chuma noted how one rider who suffered a fractured leg said they received no assistance, despite contributing towards accident insurance.

ILRIG argues that South Africa urgently needs a policy framework to protect digital platform workers.

While food delivery platforms offer employment opportunities, the organisation says meaningful reform is needed to ensure riders receive fair pay, safer working conditions and basic labour protections.