Delivery riders for Checkers Sixty60, and other supermarkets, better ‘stay in their lane,’ warn traffic authorities ahead of the busy festive season. These delivery riders may have brought unprecedented convenience to shoppers, but it has also come at a deadly cost in 2025.
Pick n Pay and Woolworths also operate delivery bikes, however, it’s only Checkers Sixty60 that guarantees to deliver in 60 minutes, ‘no matter the weather.’ And following a string of troubling incidents throughout the year, questions are being raised about road safety and corporate responsibility …
CHECKERS SIXTY60 RIDERS
For example, the dangers became tragically clear back in June 2025. A Checkers Sixty60 delivery rider was involved in a fatal head-on collision with a South African Police Service (SAPS) van on Voortrekker Road in Bellville, Cape Town. Sadly, with a reported average of seven incidents occurring daily, this was but one of many.
Not long thereafter, in July 2025, a Checkers Sixty60 rider went viral for another reason. This time it was video footage of an active police chase and shootout in Muizenberg, Cape Town. When the brave delivery rider proceeded unfazed through the frame as officers engaged in a gunfight with a robbery suspect. In typical fashion, social media users joked that the rider had ‘sixty lives.’
EXTREME RISKS BEING TAKEN
Levity aside, authorities appear to no longer be turning a blind eye to Checkers Sixty60 riders chasing delivery deadlines. This author can report firsthand a rider being pulled over in Cape Town for using a fake siren to clear traffic from his path. A long queue of motorists were only too happy to see the rider scalded by traffic police further down the road. Imitating an emergency vehicle siren is a serious breach of protocol, never mind the endangerment of other road users.
The supermarket giant’s loose employment model lies at the heart of these safety concerns. Checkers Sixty60 riders operate as independent contractors. They must have a motorcycle licence, smartphone, and own and maintain their own motorbike. It’s understood there is minimal training and therefore the barrier for entry remains low. And the promise of deliver within 60 minutes creates a powerful incentive for riders to take risks and break the law.
CHECKERS SIXTY60
Soon Transport Minister Barbara Creecy will launch her annual festive-season road safety campaign. With last year as a barometer, more than 7 000 arrests were affected across more than 900 roadblocks across the country. She was clear in her pronouncements that reckless behavior that endangers lives will no longer tolerate, regardless of the offender.
However, it’s arguably the supermarket giant that should be doing more to ensure rider and road-user safety here. More realistic delivery timeframes will negate the need for riders to take big risks. And more comprehensive training, active monitoring of rider behavior, and adequate third-party insurance policies should be non-negotiable.
HOW TO BECOME A CHECKERS SIXTY60 RIDER
As South Africa’s delivery economy continues to grow, the need for Checkers Sixty60 riders only appears to be growing. Here’s all you need to apply:
- Valid motorcycle licence
- Android Smartphone
- Clear criminal background check
- South African ID or valid work permit 9foreign nationals)
For more info how to register, visit www.sixty60.co.za
But what do you think? Are Checkers Sixty60 riders getting out of hand? Have you experienced any close calls with delivery riders this year? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below …
