Ride-hailing platform Bolt hosted a safety awareness event focused on students and other passengers in Braamfontein aimed at showcasing its latest in-app safety features and engaging with passengers around the theme “Ride your way”. In partnership with local student life, South point, the activation drew students and other passengers from nearby institutions including UJ, WITS, and TECHCom as well as the surrounding areas.
The event comes as more young South Africans turn to e-hailing services for everyday travel. According to recent research, around 51% of South Africans reported using a ride-hailing app in the past month. Among app users, 64.2% are aged 25–34, while 30.1% fall within the 18–24 bracket highlighting strong uptake among the student and young adult population.
Bolt used the opportunity to spotlight a number of its enhanced safety features, which include:
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Safety verification for drivers
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Trusted Contacts for live trip sharing
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Picture Pick-Up, allowing riders to visually confirm their driver before getting in the car
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Additional features such as PIN code verification, driver selfie authentication, an emergency button, real-time trip tracking, and in-trip audio recording
“As a people-driven platform, safety is at the core of everything we do,” said Lerato Motsoeneng, Senior General Manager for Bolt South Africa. “Safety is a shared responsibility. We invite our industry peers, government representatives, and the broader community to join us in ensuring that ride-hailing services are not just convenient but also secure for everyone.”
In addition to safety awareness, the event included a light-hearted “Spin the Wheel” game, where participants could win Bolt-branded items and ride discount vouchers.
Motsoeneng added that such activations are intended to build trust and awareness among students, who often seek flexible and affordable transport solutions. By enabling users to “Go wherever, whenever”, the company positions itself as part of a broader shift in how young people navigate urban spaces, particularly where traditional car ownership may be out of reach.
