Bolt has suspended an e-hailing driver in Cape Town who allegedly stabbed two young women during a R90 trip booked through the app.
The incident occurred when the women, part of a group of five, were traveling from their residence to Dunoon. They requested the driver to stop at a petrol station for ATM access. After two unsuccessful stops due to non-functioning machines, a dispute arose when the driver refused to drop them at their destination, according to one of the victims, Silu Daniso.
Daniso reported that the driver became violent after receiving payment at the second stop. He tried to force the women out of the car but instead drove them to the Tableview police station. The police directed him to take them to their destination as they had paid him in full.
However, the situation escalated when the driver allegedly drove in the wrong direction. As the women recorded the incident, the driver snatched one of their phones, leading to a struggle. Subsequently, he stopped the car, and when the women attempted to flee, he allegedly pursued and stabbed two of them with a sharp object.
Bolt stated that they are investigating the matter and have suspended the driver immediately. They are cooperating with the South African Police Services (SAPS).
Women for Change and Keep The Energy, two organizations advocating against gender-based violence, criticized Bolt for not doing enough to protect its clients. Keep The Energy mentioned that although Bolt had approached them in the past for safety campaigns, they declined, feeling that Bolt needed to improve passenger safety, particularly for women.
