Cape Town - The e-hailing services company Bolt has threatened to suspend drivers who engage in violent and potentially criminal behaviour next week during a planned week long strike by e-hailing drivers.
Bolt said it was aware of the planned week-long protest by e-hailing drivers which is expected from Monday next week.
The e-hailing drivers are demanding better working conditions on apps such as Bolt and Uber, better safety mechanisms, clients to be properly vetted as well as an increase in fares.
Drivers of both Bolt and Uber said on Thursday that they were planning to stage a week-long strike from April 3 to April 9, demanding a better working environment from the app owners.
The planned protest comes at a time where it was reported that the e-hailing services Bolt omitted to give data on the number of drivers who had died while driving on the app in the past three years.
Drivers claim that they are expected to spend their own money to fix the cars and at times they resort to borrowing from loan sharks.
They also said the situation was so bad to a point where they cannot afford to maintain a normal living.
E-hailing drivers have been facing a lot of challenges such as being victims of hijacking and being murdered on the app.
Amid the protest, last week other e-hailing drivers and a University of Johannesburg law graduate Euston Mnguni, 28, was shot dead by passengers who hijacked him in Midrand, north of Johannesburg.
Takura Malaba, Bolt regional manager for East and Southern Africa, said Bolt respects every driver’s right to protest and asks drivers to do so legally, peacefully, and without impacting the rights of other drivers who choose to continue to operate and earn an income, and other road users.
“Bolt unequivocally condemns any violence of any form directed towards e-hailing drivers and passengers because it believes that every South African has the right to earn a living and move around without risk of harm, intimidation or coercion, or fear of death or injury.”
“Any drivers found to be participating in threatening or violent acts toward other drivers or members of the public will immediately be suspended from the platform.
“If you are online and operating next week, please remain vigilant and use the Emergency SOS button in the Driver App or contact our support team in-app to report any intimidation against you or your clients,” Malaba added.
Meanwhile, IOL reported that Gauteng Provincial SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said police are experiencing a hike in the attacks and hijackings of e-hailing vehicles and taxis in Johannesburg and are appealing to the drivers and passengers to be extra careful while the investigation and search for the suspects are underway.
“The motive for the killing cannot be confirmed at this stage, but an investigation is underway,” Masondo said.
IOL