Ask most Uber users why they love the service so much and you’ll hear an array of answers, although one of the more common would be the ability to pay without using cash.

The truth is that whilst the card payment system conveniences many users that isn’t necessarily true across the board, so to address that issue the service will allow cash payments from next week.

Here’s Fin24:

The cash payments option is expected to go live in South Africa on Thursday, May 26, [Uber’s head for Sub-Saharan Africa Alon] Lits told Fin24. Uber says South Africa will be the first country in the world where cash payments will go live across five cities simultaneously – these being Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth.

“If it goes well, we will obviously scale it up,” Lits told Fin24 by phone on Friday.

“We need to see if it will increase the sign-up flow,” Lits said.

When Uber enables cash payments in South Africa, the company will prompt users of the app to choose cash or credit card payments, said Lits.

So what does this mean in terms of tipping the drivers then?

[Lits] said several users who use credit card payments are already tipping drivers.

Uber’s move to accept cash payments in South Africa comes after the company cut its fares by up to 20% in the country for the winter period.

The move to cut prices has been controversial with several Uber driver-partners and car-owners telling Fin24 of longer hours and less earnings.

Uber, though, has previously said that the price-cut is designed to drive up demand and benefit drivers by encouraging passengers to take more trips.

I think I’ll stick with the convenience of card payment, but for those to whom that was a stumbling block welcome on board the Uber train.

Sign up HERE and get R150 off your first ride too.

[source:fin24]

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