{
  "id": 9096975,
  "title": "Joburg partners with taxi and e-hailing sectors on women’s safety",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/joburg-partners-with-taxi-and-e-hailing-sectors-on-womens-safety",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T06:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/the-star/2026-09-22-joburg-partners-with-taxi-and-e-hailing-sectors-on-womens-safety/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has pledged to collaborate with the city's taxi industry and e-hailing services to enhance safety for women, amid escalating concerns over gender-based violence. Addressing the Johannesburg Mayoral Lecture at Soweto Theatre on Sunday, Morero unveiled plans to engage taxi associations and e-hailing companies to tackle the issue and boost security for women utilizing public transportation. The mayor emphasized that the city would act as the \"eyes and ears\" of the police, diligently monitoring and securing dark spaces to ensure the safety of women as they walk, run, live, and play.\n\nMorero's remarks come amid investigations into the deaths of nine women in Ekurhuleni, where eight victims have been identified and three suspects have appeared in court over the murder of the ninth victim. The city's approach to safety extends beyond infrastructure, integrating it into service-delivery programs. SANTACO Greater Johannesburg spokesperson Sabata Mbobo confirmed that the taxi industry is working with the city, having initiated training for some drivers and queue marshals in public relations and customer care. The taxi association expressed its condemnation of gender-based violence, emphasizing its commitment to creating a safer environment.\n\nBolt, a prominent e-hailing service, has implemented several safety measures, including an in-app panic button, live location tracking, trip sharing, Ride Check monitoring, pick-up codes, and a safety map for high-risk areas. Eligible female passengers can opt for Bolt's Women for Women category, which connects them with women driver-partners. The company prioritizes serious complaints against drivers, conducting thorough investigations and the potential permanent removal of offending drivers. Bolt is also collaborating with the city and various organizations to share safety data, identify high-risk areas, and strengthen responses to threats faced by commuters.",
  "summary": "Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero says the city will work with taxi associations and e-hailing companies to improve women’s safety, while SANTACO and Bolt outline their measures.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}