Imizamo Yethu: Uber will ferry your donations to fire victims

The Hout Bay and Imizamo Yethu fires have seen numerous organisations and citizens step up to deliver goods and services. Now,Uber has joined the party, launching a two-day initiative that sees Uber drivers serving as couriers for donations.

“Uber is working with the Cape Town Disaster Management Team and has created a temporary vehicle view called UberCOMMUNITY, that will allow Cape Town riders to request a vehicle, at no cost, that will collect donations,” the smart cab service said in an emailed statement.

The service will be available on Tuesday (14 March) and Wednesday (15 March), between 10am and 3pm.

Users can’t donate cash but people are encouraged to donate the following items.

To get started from within the app, you’ll need to launch Uber, select the orange card at the bottom saying “Hout Bay Fire Aid” and request a vehicle (no destination is needed). The car will then come to you, so make sure your donations are labelled, boxed/bagged and ready.

Uber isn’t charging for this service, obviously, but claim that “driver-partners will be paid in full for their part in the collection”. It adds that customers won’t be able to take any rides in these vehicles.