'Uber' has come to stand for more than just the name of the ride-hailing app. It’s often bandied about by public relations officers when describing the disruptive intentions of keen start-ups. This is because the innovative platform quickly became one of the most valuable tech start-ups in the world. It created a mobile on-demand solution to a simple problem, and is now the world’s largest taxi company, valued at $68-billion.

The service has taken off in South Africa, despite government red tape and driver intimidation, because it is convenient and affordable. In 2014, there were over one million trips in SA performed on Uber. In the first half of 2015, there were over two million trips booked. Uber recently held a driver-partner appreciation event, where 400 of the top Uber drivers in Gauteng were invited to listen to the company's plans for 2016.