Uber’s regional manager for sub-Saharan Africa, Kagiso Khaole.
Kagiso Khaole has been appointed as Uber’s new general manager for the sub-Saharan Africa region. This comes as Uber is in talks with partner drivers in Gauteng who want the platform to reassess the 25% commission it charges them.Uber has grown its presence to 50 cities in sub-Saharan Africa and a billion rides across the continent. Get the biggest business stories emailed to you every weekday, or go to the Fin24 front page.
Electronic ride-hailing platform Uber announced on Tuesday that Kagiso Khaole would be taking over as its general manager in the sub-Saharan African region.
Khaole takes over from Frans Heimstra, who will now serve as Uber’s general manager in the Middle East and Africa region. This move puts Khaole at the helm of Uber in a region where the business operates in 50 cities on a continent where Uber has facilitated a billion trips.
Khaole’s arrival in the position comes as the platform is holding critical talks with partner drivers in Gauteng over matters such as the platform’s payment system.
Partner drivers want Uber to reconsider the 25% commission it charges drivers or raise ride fees to the point where drivers can take home more income.
READ | Uber to meet with Gauteng drivers, govt about pay – after three fare hikes this year
A statement from Uber said Khaole joined Uber in 2021, leading the platform’s operations across sub-Saharan Africa.
“This makes Kagiso well positioned to further grow the business in the region, which is operational in over 50 cities across South Africa, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Uganda,” the statement said.
The statement said Khaole has worked in industries including e-commerce, software, consumer electronics, management consulting, insurance, and banking.
Hiemstra said Khaole’s contribution to the business “has been nothing short of excellent”.
“I am confident that our SSA region will continue to grow from strength to strength under his leadership,” Heimstra said.
READ | Uber ‘unlikely’ to ditch 25% commission it charges SA drivers
Khaole said: “We continue to remain committed to raising the bar on safety, as well as improving the experience of drivers, delivery people, and riders using the Uber app – I am excited to be a part of this journey.”
The statement said Africa remained an “exciting market” for the company as it has facilitated one billion trips on the continent in less than a decade.
“Uber has also created over three million economic opportunities across the rides and delivery businesses,” the statement said.
