A CAPE Flats e-hailing service known as Loop is scooping awards while making travelling easy and convenient for Kaapse mense via Whatsapp.
Loop was established in 2022 by founder Imtiyaaz Riley from Manenberg, who comes from a family who have been in the taxi industry for years, and co-founder Jamie Wyngaard from Montana.
Loop has since scooped multiple awards, including the National President Awards for Social Enterprise of the Year and National President Awards for Groundbreaking SMME of the Year in 2024.
The app also has the Best Mobility and Logistics for Southern Africa and Best Mobility and Logistics Startup in Africa gongs to its name.
From Cape to Cairo, the 34-year-old Wyngaard accepted the prestigious Science, Technology and Innovation Award at the Africa Forty Under 40 Awards in Cairo, Egypt, last month.
Wyngaard says: “This is a testament that we are not defined by our environment. You would think that we are from the Cape Flats, we can’t make it. We just have problems, but the more problems you have the more opportunities you have.
“We had a problem with the taxis, payments and how unsafe it was with people getting robbed and when there is a strike, there are no taxis. We turned it into a solution and we are not on a global stage because that solution is not just for us.”
Mense now have the convenience to book Loop via Whatsapp and make instant payments with no bank charges.
Trips can also be booked and cancelled from their phone via Whatsapp.
He adds: “When we spoke to commuters and taxi drivers, people don’t want another app on their phone. So we made sure that when using our payment system, drivers must get their money immediately and there must not be charges.”
He said that the big spin-off since establishing Loop is that people’s lives are being changed and mense from the Flats are getting an opportunity to earn an income and assist with financial education.
Loop is available at the Vangate Mall, Bellville to Mitchells Plain and Manenberg to Cape Town route.
Wyngaard adds: “We are not on all the routes at the moment but we are onboarding more routes on a monthly basis.
“We only [use] taxis that meet our criteria which are clean and roadworthy to make sure our passengers are safe.”
Jamie said he will be representing the Cape Flats at the Global 40 Under 40 Awards in Dubai from 7 to 12 April.
And Daily Voice readers are in for a treat. If you book a trip on Loop via Whatsapp using 062 074 6728 then you will receive a R10 voucher towards your first ride. All information will be on Whatsapp when adding the contact details.
