DiDi, the world’s leading mobility platform, is committed to playing its part in helping South Africans get vaccinated against Covid-19.
Carina Smith-Allin, DiDi’s Head of PR and Communications for Sub-Saharan Africa, explains that a lack of accessibility to vaccination sites should not be the reason preventing South Africans from getting vaccinated.
“Committed to our goal of being much more than just another ride-hailing service, DiDi has taken the initiative to launch our own vaccination drive. Ensuring more young people, in particular, receive their vaccination is integral and boosts the country’s economic recovery, which is why DiDi has committed to help”
– Carina Smith-Allin, DiDi’s Head of PR and Communications for Sub-Saharan Africa
The government of South Africa has set a target of vaccinating between 60% and 70% of the adult population by the end of 2021. This goal has been reiterated by the Health Ministry, led by Dr Joe Phaahla, in their latest briefing before Parliament.
As of 20 August 2021, all South African adults can register to receive a Covid-19 vaccination. This is a milestone in the country’s vaccination drive and journey to reaching the threshold required for herd immunity against Covid-19.
The latest available vaccination statistics reveal that as of 1 September 2021, approximately 24% of the 39,798,201 total adult population in the country has been vaccinated. While, only 5.91% of women and 4.60% of men aged between 18 and 34 have been vaccinated.
DiDi’s vaccination drive will launch across three provinces in South Africa on 27 September 2021.This includes Gauteng, Cape Town and Gqeberha. DiDi will offer 36,000 return trip vouchers to a value of R80, a total subsidy just shy of R1.5 million.
The return vouchers will be offered to all eligible riders that are registered on the EVDS and DiDi’s Vaccine application system. There will be a separate product line for vaccination trips on the easy-to-use DiDi app interface. Riders will need to enter their vaccination appointment details to receive the return trip voucher, which will be valid for 30 days after registration of which T’s and C’s apply.
DiDi South Africa is committed to understanding the nuances and intricacies of its newest markets. To achieve this, the company has established and fosters relationships with important stakeholders across various regions.
“DiDi’s investment will certainly assist in addressing the challenges of unemployment, especially among the youth. We are continuing to improve our business environment and cementing partnerships with private sector partners to grow our economy.”
– Director of Trade and Investment for the City of Johannesburg, Marcus Baliso
