Teksi Ride, a South African-based transport company, is making significant inroads in that country through an innovative approach that focuses on ensuring customers’ peaceful and safe experiences.
Through the use of an e-hailing mobile app developed by Zimbabwean-born tech entrepreneur Prince Pirikisi, many people in South Africa are now able to request a Teksi Ride driver, similar to those who use Bolt or Uber services.
However, Prince – who is also the brains behind Teksi Ride – has taken his company a step further by establishing a partnership with the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco). It is this working relationship that ensures a safe experience for customers in a sector that can sometimes become volatile.
From Zimbabwe to South Africa
Prince says his entrepreneurship drive and passion for the transport industry saw him establishing the Emergency Taxi e-haling app while he was still in Zimbabwe. This was after he had tried his hand at other business ventures.
“My very first business was Afrostitch Media, a company that offered public relations, marketing as well as printing services. The business environment was not working out and I decided to set up Emergency Taxi,” says Prince.
He says the economic challenges that were prevalent in Zimbabwe at that time forced him to think outside the box. His solution was to relocate his taxi business from Zimbabwe to another country.
Teksi Ride was born in 2018 after Prince closed his business in Zimbabwe and re-established it in South Africa under a new brand.
“I noticed a gap in the South African industry and dived right in. It was tough for emerging entrepreneurs like us because this is an industry that is dominated by bigger players like Bolt and Uber.”
Unique Selling Point
Prince and his team at Teksi Ride believe the only way to eradicate the violence that mars SA’s e-hailing industry is by establishing a healthy union between the parties that were once rivals.
Teksi Ride has managed to develop a platform that sees metered taxis and e-hailing operators come together to work under the guidance of local taxi regulator Santaco.
“Our unique selling point is safety. We are based in South Africa, and we have a physical office there. We make sure that all of our drivers are screened, and this means that all our clients are safe.”
The Teksi Ride app also offers a 24-hour contact centre as well as facial recognition for a selfie test conducted by both drivers and riders.
“We also have a call center where people are able to communicate with us and this makes them feel secure when they are in our hands. So, we aim to be different. It has not been an easy ride, but I feel that we have made a significant impact in the industry and that everyone has noticed,” explains Prince.
5 000 Active Drivers
Teksi Ride works on the same principle as Uber and Bolt, of not employing drivers but allowing them to use their technology platform. The app brings on board metered taxi operators as well as ordinary operators.
However, all drivers and operators on the platform are required to be registered under Santaco and should be in possession of a permit to offer their services to the public.
“We have 13 000 registered drivers and 5 000 active drivers. We insist on vetting our drivers by verifying documents to ensure that the safety of our customers is given the utmost priority,” says Prince.
Regional Footprint
As they continue to make inroads in the South African transport space, Teksi Ride have also managed to spread beyond the borders of South Africa. Under the leadership of Prince, the company has been able to open branches in Zambia and Botswana.
Prince and his team at Teksi Ride have now firmly set their eyes on their next target market – Zimbabwe.
“Very soon we will be launching in Zimbabwe and this is something that I am very excited about. We are growing, our team is also growing and the number of vehicles we have as well as our drivers are growing. This developmnet is good for the company,” says an excited Prince.
“Judging from the feedback we are getting, our clients are very happy with the services we are providing and we are also very happy that we are contributing to the development of the economy in the countries that we are operating in,” says Prince.
Looking Ahead With Optimism
Facing the kind of challenges that many entrepreneurs have also had to deal with has only strengthened Prince’s resolve to grow Teksi Ride into one of the most prominent brands in Africa’s transport space.
“The biggest challenge that we face in Africa lies with the fact that most banks are not willing to finance industries that involve the use of technology. We have great ideas in Africa but the platforms that are being created are not being backed by investors.
“If we had more investors for a long term period, it would work better for many entrepreneurs. I think the solution, in this regard, lies in the need for investors to be educated more about how technology has the potential to enhance Africa,” explains Prince.
Despite the challenges, Prince is eager to continue his journey of leading Teksi Ride to the top. He hopes that his ability to achieve all the goals he has set for himself will also inspire other entrepreneurs to follow in his footsteps.
