Safe Mobility Hub

Repurposing urban space for safe last mile mobility

South Africa

Public and Private Partnership

The Safe Mobility Hub Programme is a public private partnership that delivers safe, visible and organised infrastructure for last mile delivery and micro mobility in South African cities. It creates dedicated spaces for parking, rest, charging and basic services, improving safety, dignity and efficiency for riders while improving how streets function for everyone.

The programme is structured as a scalable system of tiers. Tier 01 focuses on rapid, low cost on street interventions that formalise parking and reduce conflict through protected bays. Tier 02 introduces modular upgrades such as seating and shade to support rest and recovery. Tier 03 expands into full hub spaces that integrate services, operations and public interface within buildings or key urban nodes. This approach allows the programme to respond to different street conditions while building a clear pathway to scale.

Initial implementation in Cape Town has focused on Tier 01 sites in high demand areas, including Gardens and the CBD, with additional locations in development. These pilots have shown strong utilisation, reduced illegal parking and improved order on the street. Tier 02 upgrades are in progress, including modular CitiPod installations that add seating, shade and essential services, supported by local maintenance and operations partners.

The next phase focuses on expanding the network across key corridors, strengthening partnerships with cities, precincts and private sector operators, and onboarding additional partners into a broader consortium model. This includes scaling in Cape Town and expanding to other cities such as Johannesburg, with a focus on high demand nodes and integration with public transport systems.

The programme is delivered in partnership with organisations including Takealot Group, Mr D, Uber Eats, Woolworths, the City of Cape Town, Cape Town Central City Improvement District and Mission for Inner City Cape Town, with further partners being onboarded as the network grows.

If you would like to join or support the consortium, please contact roland@youngurbanists.co.za.

If you would like to join or support the consortium, please contact roland@youngurbanists.co.za.

The programme operates as a shared platform between public, private and civic partners, aligning delivery platforms, retailers, property owners and government to deliver safer, more efficient streets. Current partners include Takealot Group, Mr D, Uber Eats, Woolworths, the City of Cape Town, Cape Town Central City Improvement District and Mission for Inner City Cape Town.

Download

Download Phase 1 V2 Update of the Safe Mobility Hub

AUTHOR

Roland Postma

ORGANISATIONS

Takealot Group, Mr D, Uber Eats, Woolworths, the City of Cape Town, the Cape Town Central City Improvement District, Mission for Inner City Cape Town, the City of Johannesburg, CitiPod, SDI and SDI Trust.

TYPE

Public and Private Partnership

If you value this work and want to support it, there are a few ways to get involved. Please reach out to Roland at roland@youngurbanists.co.za.

You can join Young Urbanists as an individual member for free, engage through chapters and communities, or support this programme through a once off or monthly contribution.

Organisations can come on as partners or supporters, collaborate on projects and help fund implementation aligned to their focus areas.

Community. Education. Change.