Ride hailing service Taxify has significantly expanded its South African operations by announcing the launch of services in the cities of Polokwane in Limpopo, and East London in the Eastern Cape.

This announcement comes shortly after the ride hailing service said in June 2018 that it had completed an investment round of $175 million, and that it intended to use this investment to expand its services worldwide - particularly across Africa.

Taxify started operating in South Africa in 2016 in Johannesburg, and with the launch of Polokwane and East London this month will operate in eight South African cities – including Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Cape Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth.

Taxify services in Polokwane started today, with operations in East London set to commence later this month.

The ride hailing service now operates in more cities across South Africa than it does in any of the other more than 25 countries where it has a presence. The company employs over 80 permanent staff in South Africa and is set to increase that number over the next couple of years as it expands further.

“Demand for ride hailing services is growing across South Africa as public transport is increasingly unreliable and the costs of car ownership soar,” said Gareth Taylor, Taxify’s country manager for South Africa.

“Ride hailing services like Taxify make it possible for more people to enjoy the convenience and safety of getting from one place to another, without the costs of car ownership or the inconvenience of public transport,” he continued.

Taxify has been hugely successful in every city where it has launched since commencing operations in South Africa in 2016, growing exponentially year on year.

Taxify has facilitated entrepreneurship opportunities for South Africans who would otherwise have been included in the country’s unemployment statistics, with thousands of drivers now using the Taxify platform to start their own businesses, earning an income and supporting their families on a flexible schedule.

One of Taxify’s key success factors in its rapid expansion has been the fact that drivers utilising its platform receive 85% of all fares paid by riders - a significantly higher percentage than what drivers using other similar platforms receive.

According to Taylor the ride hailing sector has stimulated unprecedented innovation, growth and job creation in a new industry that is just four years old in South Africa.

“Today’s announcement of Taxify’s expansion into Polokwane and East London marks an important milestone as it gives many South Africans in smaller cities the opportunity to experience the safety, convenience and affordability of on-demand ride hailing for the first time,” Taylor said.

“Taxify is committed to the South African market, and we intend to grow our footprint to more towns and cities across the country, making it possible for more people to benefit from ride hailing services, whether they are riders seeking cost-effective convenience, or drivers seeking business opportunities,” he concluded.