Bolt has taken action against an e-hailing driver in Cape Town who reportedly stabbed two young women during a R90 trip booked through the app.
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The victims, part of a group of five girls traveling from their residence to Dunoon, were involved in a violent altercation with the driver. He declined to drop them at their intended destination.
Initially, the women asked the driver to stop at a petrol station for ATM access. After encountering issues at the first station, they proceeded to a second one. However, upon payment of the fare, the driver allegedly became aggressive, according to Silu Daniso, one of the victims.
Daniso said that the driver refused to proceed to Dunoon and attempted to force them out of the vehicle, but the women resisted.
Upon their refusal, the driver drove to the Tableview police station. Daniso stated that the police instructed the driver to transport them to their destination since they had paid the full fare and more. However, the situation took a turn for the worse when the driver purportedly drove in the wrong direction. Subsequently, the women began recording the incident on their phones, prompting the driver to snatch one of the phones from them.
‘We tried to get the phone back and we asked him to stop the car. That is when the fight started,’ she said, adding that they retrieved the phone from him.
According to IOL, after stopping the car, the women fled, and the driver reportedly pursued them on foot. Allegedly, he then used a sharp object, resembling a knife, to stab two of the women.
‘He stopped the car and we tried to run out of the car. That is when he took the knife or something and stabbed me and my other friend and I fell to the ground,’ she said.
E-hailing company Bolt stated that they are investigating the matter and have promptly blocked the driver. They emphasised full cooperation with the South African Police Services (SAPS).
Bolt spokesperson Sandra Buyole said, ‘Upon learning of the incident we immediately took action to block the driver from the platform while a thorough investigation is conducted.
‘The safety and well-being of our riders are our top priorities, and we do not tolerate any behaviour that compromises their safety and security.’
Women for Change and Keep The Energy, two non-profit organisations dedicated to raising awareness about gender-based violence, have urged the company to enhance its efforts in protecting its clients.
Keep The Energy revealed that Bolt had previously approached them to participate in the Bolt Safety Campaigns aimed at raising awareness about passenger safety. However, they declined participation, citing the belief that Bolt must intensify its measures to safeguard passengers, particularly women.
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Picture: @bonile_ / Instagram