Bolt South Africa to issue new high-risk area warnings to drivers after attacks
Safety measures for e-hailing drivers: Bolt South Africa's response to recent attacks.
Image: File
Bolt South Africa has issued a stern warning, vowing that violence and criminal behaviour will not be tolerated on its platform. The company also announced that new high-risk area warnings are being implemented to advise its drivers of risky zones before they accept trips.
This follows attacks on e-hailing drivers in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. In August, Siyanda Mthokozisi Mvelase, 27, was shot and burned in his vehicle at Maponya Mall.
Mvelase's aunt, Zanele Khuzwayo, told the media that he had only started working as an e-hailing driver two days before his death.
"He was the son of my eldest sister and an only child,” Khuzwayo said. "He was born in 1998. After finishing matric, he moved to Johannesburg to look for work. I used to help him now and then, but he always tried to stand on his own."
Similarly, two e-hailing drivers were shot and wounded in KwaDabeka in the same month. A Durban-based e-hailing driver, Mhlengi Gumede recounted how he survived a shooting incident this week that left two drivers shot and injured.
Gumede said he was at the scene of the attack and narrowly escaped unharmed. "We weren't fighting with them or anything. We went and parked across the road. They followed us and kept assaulting us, telling us to leave.
"They acted like they were about to rob us. All of a sudden, I heard gunshots, and we ran. A bullet hit my car. This is scary because three months ago, my brother who was also an e-hailing driver, was killed," he said.
Simo Kalajdzic, the senior operations manager at Bolt South Africa, said safety was at the core of the company's operations.
"We will not tolerate attacks on drivers or passengers on our platform. Safety is non-negotiable, and we are committed to doing everything we can to protect the millions of people who trust us every day," he said.
The company has reinforced its zero-tolerance policy against violence, stressing that it is committed to supporting investigations and working closely with government and law enforcement.
"Anyone found guilty of misconduct or criminal behaviour will be permanently removed from the platform," Bolt said.
Passengers have been urged to take simple safety precautions, such as verifying driver details in the app, waiting in safe and visible areas, sharing trip details with family or friends, and reporting suspicious behaviour immediately.
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Simo Kalajdzic, the senior operations manager at Bolt South Africa, said safety was at the core of the company's operations.
"We will not tolerate attacks on drivers or passengers on our platform. Safety is non-negotiable, and we are committed to doing everything we can to protect the millions of people who trust us every day," he said.
The company has reinforced its zero-tolerance policy against violence, stressing that it is committed to supporting investigations and working closely with government and law enforcement.
"Anyone found guilty of misconduct or criminal behaviour will be permanently removed from the platform," Bolt said.
Passengers have been urged to take simple safety precautions, such as verifying driver details in the app, waiting in safe and visible areas, sharing trip details with family or friends, and reporting suspicious behaviour immediately.
IOL News