The rapid expansion of last-mile delivery services across Africa, especially in South Africa, has created new challenges for delivery operators, as the surge in e-commerce has made delivery drivers more vulnerable to road safety risks and security threats. The increasing presence of services like Checkers Sixty60, Pick n Pay ASAP!, Woolworths Dash, and Mr D has driven a need for advanced, scalable solutions that prioritise driver safety and mitigate the rising costs associated with these growing risks.
Africa’s last-mile delivery market is expected to be worth R43 billion by 2030. In South Africa, the growth of online shopping in South Africa is also having a positive effect on the freight and logistics sector which is projected to grow from last year’s R402 billion to approximately R590 billion by 2029. This has resulted in a rise in delivery vehicles on its roads, increasing the need for comprehensive safety measures. The rise in hijackings and attacks on delivery vehicles highlights the importance of securing not only the goods in transit but also the drivers who play a critical role in the supply chain.
In response, South African technology service company Digital Solutions Group (DSG) has partnered with global mobility solutions provider Sentiance to enhance road safety for delivery drivers and develop a localised solution designed for Africa’s booming e-commerce market. This collaboration aims to address the complex demands of last-mile delivery services across the continent, where driver safety and efficient mobility data management are critical.
“With e-commerce exploding across Africa, the need for technology-driven solutions to protect delivery drivers has never been greater,” says Yaron Assabi, Group CEO of DSG. “Our partnership with Sentiance equips us to offer mobile-based behavioural insights and safety solutions that not only safeguard drivers but also provide crucial data to insurers and organisations for managing risk more effectively.”
Sentiance’s technology leverages drivers’ mobile phones to collect real-time behavioural insights that help monitor and improve road safety. As the technology operates entirely on-device without the need for cloud data processing, it offers significant privacy benefits while enabling rapid deployment across new markets.
“This mobile-based approach allows us to quickly scale in response to growing demand while ensuring that sensitive data is kept secure,” says Assabi.
Sentiance’s mobility platform has already been adopted by global brands such as Beneva, Absa, Uber, and Talabat to improve driver safety and enhance insurance offerings. Delivery Hero, a leading last-mile delivery provider, reported a significant reduction in incidents in the regions where they have implemented their comprehensive safety solution including 2-wheeler telematics.
In South Africa, Absa has introduced Sentiance’s Usage-Based Insurance (UBI) program, which has seen an 8% improvement in its loss ratio by providing deeper insights into driver behaviour and risk factors.
“Partnering with DSG allows us to bring our innovative mobility solutions to Africa, a market where the need for driver safety and robust insurance offerings continues to grow. With DSG’s extensive expertise in mobile solutions and their broad network, we are confident that this partnership will transform how companies in Africa use mobility data to protect drivers and enhance business outcomes,” says Toon Vanparys, CEO of Sentiance.
