Young woman raped, robbed at gunpoint during e-hailing hell ride

IN YET another attack involving an e-hailing service, a 21-year-old woman was robbed and raped while the alleged perpetrators drove around before dumping her in Kraaifontein.

The woman requested a trip at about 9.25pm on Friday in Alexander Street, Bellville.

Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said Bellville police registered a case of robbery with a firearm and rape.

“Preliminary information suggests that the 21-year-old victim summoned an (e-hailing service) to take her home from work. She was fetched by a foreign driver who instructed her to sit in the back of the hatchback vehicle.

“While they were travelling towards her destination, a second foreign suspect allegedly appeared from the boot and threatened her with a firearm, demanding her belongings. He robbed her of her laptop, cellphone, work scanner and headphones. The suspect then violated the victim, whereafter they dropped her on the side of the road,” said Pojie.

The suspects allegedly also attempted to get money from her family by forcing the woman to call her relatives and make the request.

Bellville Community Police Forum (CPF) chairperson Emre Uygun said they were informed yesterday that four men were taken in for questioning.

“I am still waiting for formal communication and confirmation because I was told two were released. The cameras in the area were able to pick up the Hyundai vehicle and show that it was still in the northern suburbs, roaming around.

“Any swift arrest to this heinous crime will be welcomed and with the perpetrators behind bars it limits the chances of more people, especially women, being harmed. We will support the victim even at court and have a petition calling for no bail, we take all GBV cases seriously,” said Uygun.

E-hailing service Indrive did not respond to questions by deadline.

Uber said that its investigation team was probing if the driver was affiliated to them.

“We need more stringent measures such as face recognition technology when the driver accepts a trip, and vetting. Our government seriously needs to look into these safety issues if the companies are not doing much to ensure passengers’ safety and security,” said Uygun.

The incident comes after 39-year-old Benedict Chitungu, a driver associated with Bolt, appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Friday facing two counts of attempted murder.

The case was postponed to May 17 for bail information.

Chitungu is accused of stabbing two women aged 20 and 21 on May 4.

Bolt’s Sandra Buyole confirmed the company was aware of the incident and an internal investigation was under way.

Western Cape E-hailing Association (WCEA) spokesperson Siyabonga Hlabisa said they were aware of the Bolt incident, which they were still looking into, but were shocked at the recent ordeal in Bellville.

“We simply cannot afford to have these crimes that haunt the industry. We support the call for vetting and heightened security measures,” Hlabisa said.

Anyone with information can anonymously contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111 or use the MySAPS App.