Takealot Fulfilment Solutions says wages are not based on a single fixed amount.
For illustrative purposes. Picture: iStock
Takealot Fulfilment Solutions (TFS) has denied that drivers of its subsidiary, Mr D Food, earn R27.50 per delivery, stating that wages are not based on a single fixed amount. TFS is a division of Takealot.
The Citizen reached out to Takealot to enquire about drivers’ remuneration after a reader shared her concerns on the publication’s WhatsApp line.
“I recently found out that our Mr D driver only gets R27.50 per delivery,” said the reader. “I’ve calculated that Mr D charges us 23% of our order.”
Drivers’ wages are not fixed
A TFS spokesperson told The Citizen that drivers’ wages are based on several factors, including delivery times and distances.
“Remuneration for delivery partners is not based on a single fixed amount,” said the spokesperson.
“Instead, we use a dynamic model that fairly rewards effort by taking into account factors such as distance, time, and peak demand periods.”
Takealot dedicated to gig workers
The Citizen‘s enquiry asked the company how much Mr D Food and Takealot drivers earn per delivery, including whether they have to pay for the mode of transport they use to make these deliveries, as some workers do not own motorbikes.
Those questions were not addressed; instead, the company reiterated its belief in and support for gig work.
TFS’s spokesperson said, “We share the goal of ensuring that the thousands of South Africans who rely on our platform for an income are empowered and protected. The platform economy is a powerful engine for economic inclusion, and we are proud that our platform provides this for so many.”
Flexibility
The company acknowledged that a lot of people are relying on gig work, such as being a courier, as this offers people flexibility.
“Independent research confirms that 70% of platform workers would rather choose their own hours than have a fixed-salary job, and 75% report that their financial situation has improved since starting platform work,” said the spokesperson.
“This flexibility allows partners to ‘multi-home’ – working across multiple apps – to maximise their income.”
World moving hybrid
The spokesperson added that TFS believes the future lies in a hybrid approach that incorporates both traditional and future ways of working.
“Inherent in this hybrid approach are the same value sets that policy makers are looking to ensure – the protection of gig workers through a modern safety net of portable benefits, such as insurance and savings funds, without compromising on the flexibility that platform workers value.”
