By Excel Fongoma
Owen Lekala, who is from a tiny village near the coal mining hub of Emalahleni in Mpumalanga, was driven to solve the country’s transport issues and travelling costs when he came up with the idea for his Hike app. The IT graduate from the Tshwane University of Technology was only 21 when he launched the cutting-edge platform in November 2021. It offers a convenient, inexpensive, and eco-friendly transportation option by fusing the advantages of carpooling and e-hailing. With Hike, Lekala is setting out to change the nation’s transport system, one ride at a time.
This innovative concept allows drivers to make money with little restrictions while giving passengers more flexible transport options. It allows anyone with a car to sign up, post excursions, and offer seats to other people. With just a 17% commission fee, this strategy lowers customer travel expenses while giving drivers an opportunity to earn money. The company’s growth has seen its initial focus on simplifying e-hailing expand into carpooling as a way to tackle traffic congestion and high travel costs.“Hike contributes to reducing carbon emissions – an important step in sustainable urban mobility,” he said.
From March this year, Hike will offer three specialised apps. They are Hike Share, a platform for users to post and book carpool trips, sharing the cost of travel; Hike Ride, an e-hailing app for passengers seeking fast and seamless ride bookings; and Hike Driver, a tool for drivers to efficiently manage their trips, earnings, and schedules. Lekala said the apps would further enhance Hike’s user-friendly interface to cater to the particular requirements of its expanding user base. “In the future, Hike’s growth will extend outside South Africa.
The platform is designed to be scalable, meaning it may be adjusted to meet local transportation requirements in other nations.” Lekala’s dedication to technology advancement guarantees that Hike will continue to satisfy the needs of a worldwide user base while adhering to its primary goal of developing an economical, environmentally friendly transportation option. Apart from Hike, Lekala is the owner of TAGPROJECTS, a software development firm that offers web and mobile development services to start-ups and small enterprises. He is motivated by the conviction that Hike can become a global leader in and still be reasonably priced.
