Coopetition between Dialdirect and Discovery Insure for the greater good

Launched in May 2021, the Pothole Patrol is a coopetition between two competing insurance brands, Dialdirect Insurance and Discovery Insure.

Partnering with the City of Johannesburg (CoJ), they have repaired over 80 000 potholes.

Coopetition makes sense

Anneli Retief, head of Dialdirect says that there’s magic in the partnership. “Two insurers, competitors, have become collaborators by joining hands for the greater good.”

She says coopetition is common in the IT industry. “Burger King and McDonald’s are also well-versed, partnering up to help fight Cancer.”

She adds: “It makes sense when there is a societal issue that needs an ‘all hands on deck’ approach to solving - and the scourge of potholes plaguing our City certainly qualifies.”

Recently both insurers realise that more needs to be done to assist in clearing the current backlog in repairs as the City struggles with high rainfall and a resultant increase in the number of potholes currently developing on many roads.

Coopetition and technology

"Using coopetition and our unique tech solutions, we are increasing The Pothole Patrol’s fleet of repair trucks to help improve the state of our roads,” says Discovery Insure’s head of Strategy, Kgodiso Mokonyane.

“Regardless of the size or depth of the pothole, if reported via The Pothole Patrol app, an inspector from The Pothole Patrol or JRA will always be sent out to inspect the damage,” says Discovery Insure’s head of Strategy, Kgodiso Mokonyane.

The Pothole Patrol is mandated by the City of Johannesburg to repair potholes measuring a maximum size of 1m by 1m.

Anything bigger than this, or deeper than 5cms, is referred to as a reinstatement. Reinstatements, road excavations and deep trenches or cracks occur as a result of digging during road construction or for creating a passage for the laying of services such as pipes and cables. As such, they are not classified as potholes.

The Pothole Patrol escalates reinstatements to the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), while road defects caused by underlying water damage are referred to Joburg Water.

The insurers encourage Joburg road users to continue reporting potholes to The Pothole Patrol. The Pothole Patrol app can be downloaded via the app store or Google Play. Alternatively, WhatsApp the word 'Hi' to 084 768 4653 and follow the prompts.