Yango addresses payment, safety concerns
Yango Namibia has outlined measures aimed at strengthening platform controls following complaints from users over disputed rides, payment issues and cases where trips or deliveries were recorded as completed before services were provided.
The ride-hailing company addressed the concerns during a media engagement on Friday, where journalists questioned Country Manager Alex Mungai on complaints raised by users on social media in recent months.
Mungai said some incidents involving passengers being charged for rides they did not take, or deliveries being marked as completed without receipt by customers, were linked to drivers unintentionally starting or completing trips before the service had been rendered.
He said users affected by such incidents should report them through Yango’s official support channels, allowing the company to investigate individual cases and determine appropriate resolutions.
The company also highlighted its trip verification process for passengers paying by bank card. Mungai said users should enter a four-digit verification code before each trip and only provide the code to a driver after confirming that the driver and vehicle details match those displayed on the application.
According to Mungai, the verification step prevents trips from starting without passenger confirmation and helps reduce the risk of incorrect charges.
On passenger safety, he said users should verify the identity of drivers before entering vehicles. If the driver or vehicle arriving at the collection point does not correspond with the information displayed on the application, passengers should cancel the trip and report the incident.
Mungai said drivers are required to complete facial verification before beginning operations each day, with additional random checks conducted during the day to confirm that the registered driver remains the person providing the service.
He added that all drivers undergo an onboarding and verification process before being permitted to operate on the platform, whether they join independently or through a fleet partner.
During the engagement, journalists also raised concerns about drivers refuelling while carrying passengers. Mungai said this is not permitted under Yango’s operating standards, with drivers expected to ensure vehicles have sufficient fuel before accepting trips.
The company’s response comes as ride-hailing platforms face increasing pressure globally to balance rapid expansion with customer safety, service reliability and operational oversight.
Yango said it would continue reviewing its processes around verification, customer support and platform monitoring as it addresses concerns raised by users.
