Delivery drivers occupy a contested position in South African law. Whether a driver is an independent contractor or an employee determines what rights apply, and the answer is not settled by what the contract calls you.
This page covers the requirements and then that question, because it determines whether you have recourse when something goes wrong.
Driver or Vehicle Requirements at a Glance
What delivery work generally requires.
- Be 18 years or older with a valid South African ID, or the right to work in South Africa
- A valid driver’s licence of the correct code for the vehicle used
- A vehicle in roadworthy condition with a valid vehicle licence
- Insurance covering commercial delivery use
- A police clearance certificate, where the platform requires it
- A smartphone meeting the platform’s specification, with data
- A bank account in your own name
- Compliance with the platform’s onboarding and background checks
Licence and Eligibility Requirements
The label in the contract is not decisive. South African law looks at the substance of the relationship, not what the parties call it. The Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 contains a presumption of employment where certain factors are present — control over the manner of work, hours of work, integration into the organisation, economic dependence and provision of tools among them.
Why it matters. An employee has rights to minimum conditions under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997, protection against unfair dismissal, UIF, and access to the CCMA. An independent contractor has a commercial contract and very little else.
The position has been litigated in South Africa and elsewhere, and it continues to develop. Where you believe you are in substance an employee, the CCMA can determine the question and referring it costs nothing.
Where you work through a fleet owner rather than the platform, your relationship with that owner is a separate question again, and it is more likely to be employment. Get the arrangement documented.
UIF matters practically. An employee is covered for unemployment, illness and maternity benefits; an independent contractor is not. That gap is significant and it is worth knowing which side of it you are on.
Vehicle, Inspection and Safety Requirements
Insurance must cover commercial delivery use. A personal policy generally excludes it, and a claim after an accident while working is likely to be rejected. That exposure falls on you regardless of your employment status.
Ask what accident cover the platform provides, what it pays, when it applies and whether it covers time between deliveries. Get it in writing before starting, not after an incident.
COIDA applies to employees. The Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993 covers employees for occupational injury and disease, and registration is a compulsory employer obligation. An independent contractor is outside it, which is another practical consequence of the classification.
Safety equipment is your responsibility where you use a motorcycle — a proper helmet meeting a recognised standard, an armoured jacket, gloves and high visibility. Do not defer it.
Keep your own records of shifts, deliveries, earnings, deductions and any instruction you were given about how, when and where to work. Those records are evidence in an employment dispute as well as for tax.
Report every incident to the platform and the police, and keep the case number.
Documents, PrDP or Supporting Evidence
What is needed to register.
- Certified copy of your South African ID, or passport and a valid permit with the right to work
- A valid driver’s licence for the vehicle used
- The vehicle registration certificate and current licence disc
- An insurance schedule showing commercial delivery cover
- A police clearance certificate, where required
- Proof of residence
- Banking details in your own name
- Any written contract or terms with the platform or fleet owner
Registration or Application Process
Register directly with the platform. Registration is free and nobody legitimate charges to activate an account.
Read the contract before accepting it and keep a copy. It sets out the payment terms, the deactivation grounds and how disputes are handled, and you will need it if a dispute arises.
If you are deactivated or a payment is withheld, ask for the reason in writing, respond with facts and your own records, and keep the correspondence. Where the amounts justify it and you believe you were in substance an employee, the CCMA can determine the question at no cost.
Income from this work is taxable and must be declared to SARS, and expenses actually incurred in producing it are deductible — but only with records. Registering as a provisional taxpayer may apply.
Free legal help exists. Legal Aid South Africa, university law clinics and advice offices assist at no cost, and the Department of Employment and Labour handles complaints about basic conditions of employment.
- Understand that the contract label does not decide your status
- Know the difference in rights between employee and contractor
- Keep records of shifts, instructions, earnings and deductions
- Declare commercial use to your insurer — the exposure is yours either way
- Ask in writing what platform accident cover pays and when
- Read the contract before accepting and keep a copy
- Ask for any deactivation or withheld payment reason in writing
- Refer a genuine employment question to the CCMA — it costs nothing
- Use Legal Aid, law clinics or the Department of Employment and Labour
- Declare the income to SARS and keep expense records
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I an employee or a contractor?
The label in the contract does not decide it. South African law looks at the substance — control, hours, integration, economic dependence and tools. The CCMA can determine the question.
Why does it matter?
An employee has minimum conditions, protection against unfair dismissal, UIF and COIDA cover, and access to the CCMA. A contractor has a commercial contract and little else.
Does the platform cover accidents?
Ask in writing what it pays, when it applies, and whether it covers time between deliveries. Your own commercial insurance is required regardless.
Where can I get help for free?
The CCMA for employment questions, Legal Aid South Africa and university law clinics for legal advice, and the Department of Employment and Labour for basic conditions complaints.
Employment classification, platform terms, insurance and compensation arrangements are governed by the Labour Relations Act, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and COIDA and are subject to developing case law. Confirm your position with the CCMA or a legal adviser.