A young Mitchells Plain woman has been left terrified after an e-hailing taxi driver tried to rob and kidnap her.
The 21-year-old from Beacon Valley had finished work at Century City, and just before midnight, she booked a ride from inDrive.
“Everything was perfectly fine, calm, and we had a nice conversation about cars. Now I know that his aim was to get me to trust him. I was tired and just wanted to get to Mitchells Plain,” she says.
“Suddenly the driver started driving slowly, and when I asked why, he said he was doing an experiment to see how long his petrol was going to last and how many trips he would make with it.”
The woman, who asked not to be named, said the driver stopped on the N1 for fuel.
“He took out the petrol handle and then put it in his tank for a very long time. I suspect he was waiting for a partner,” she explains.
“Eventually, we left and then he stopped in front of my house and made a U-turn and drove past my house slowly.
“He told me he was going through a tough time and he wanted my phone.
“I started panicking and thought that I can’t lose my phone because I work with it. I tried to bribe him, and told him I would give him extra money, but he didn’t take it.
“He started driving faster. Luckily the door was unlocked so I jumped out and fell.”
The woman says she got up and screamed for her mother.
Her family came out and started chasing the driver, who managed to flee. The woman reported the incident to the police and the e-hailing company.
inDrive South Africa’s Business Development Representative Vincent Lilane told the Cape Argus that the company placed a significant emphasis on safety.
“Only those drivers who have been registered and have verified documentation are allowed to use the application.
“To prioritise passenger safety, the inDrive App includes a weekly photo verification security check, which guarantees that only the authorised driver is using the application,” Thakhisi added.
Thakhisi says the company’s investigations revealed that the driver had transferred his profile to a third party who might have been involved.
“To prioritise the safety of our passengers, we have blocked both drivers from using the app. This regrettable incident is one we take very seriously.”
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi confirmed: “She was about to exit an e-hailing vehicle when the driver wanted more money as initially requested or her phone.
“The complainant jumped out of the vehicle and the driver drove off with the complainant’s shoes inside the vehicle. Mitchells Plain police are investigating a case of common robbery.”
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