NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

By Andrew Ihsaan Gasnolar

Our cities are growing so rapidly that by 2050 it is expected that 2.5 billion people will live in African cities, doubling our current population. A search for a better way of life and more income opportunities means that the attraction to cities is only going to increase.

This explosion brings with it a host of challenges, especially in the transport sector, on which the public heavily relies on. The options are plentiful and include buses, trains, bicycles, motorbikes, taxis, e-hailing services, private cars and planes.

E-hailing joined the landscape a mere six years ago in South Africa as an addition to the e-hailing sector. The sector has grown so fast with millions of city dwellers taking e-hailing rides to get to work, leisure and worship opportunities every week. This growth has e-hailing companies and the government working together to develop sector specifications under the National Land Transport Bill.

Photo courtesy of Raim Matau.