Cape Town, Western Cape – In a chilling display of the dangers lurking on the streets of the Mother City, a viral dashcam video has emerged showing an e-hailing driver being robbed at gunpoint in Parkwood, all while a popular pop song played in the background. The two-minute clip, which has been widely circulated on social media, captures the terrifying moment a routine trip turned into a life-threatening ordeal for a driver identified only as Abubakr.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday night, 25 April 2026, at approximately 20:47, has once again ignited a fierce debate over the safety of e-hailing drivers in South Africa’s urban centres. The robbery took place in Pers Road, Parkwood, a region that has become a flashpoint for crime targeting those working on platforms like Uber and Bolt.
In the video, the driver is seen engaging in casual conversation with two passengers. The front passenger, who appears relaxed and even chats on his phone, asks the driver for his name. After Abubakr responds, the suspect comments on the "lekker number" playing on the car’s audio system – the song Work From Home by Fifth Harmony – and proceeds to turn up the volume.
A Sudden Shift: From Pop Song to Pistol
The atmosphere inside the vehicle shifts dramatically roughly halfway through the footage. The front passenger signals to his accomplice in the back seat, who immediately produces a firearm and presses it against the driver’s neck. In a bizarre twist that gave the story its "Robbers Change Their Tune" headline, the front passenger repeatedly instructs his armed partner not to fire.
“Moenie skiet nie… moet nie skiet nie,” (Don't shoot… don't shoot), the suspect says, even as he begins to systematically strip the driver of his belongings. The driver, visibly shaken, is seen pleading for his life, telling the robbers, “You can search me, I can put on the light,” as they demand his cellphone and cash.
The suspects then issue a chilling ultimatum: “As ek nou hier uit klim gaan ek jou vrek skiet, haal alles uit” (If I get out here, I’m going to shoot you dead, take everything out). Before fleeing the scene, the robbers force Abubakr to unlock his password-protected phone and reveal his PIN.
Grassy Park Police on High Alert
Western Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg has confirmed that Grassy Park police have registered a case of robbery with a firearm following the incident. "According to reports, the driver responded to a pick-up request and upon arrival at the mentioned address, two unknown males got into the vehicle. The one male took out a firearm and they robbed the victim before fleeing the scene," Twigg stated .
As of Wednesday, 29 April, no arrests have been made, though the investigation remains active. The SAPS has appealed to anyone with information to come forward, highlighting the importance of the dashcam footage in identifying the perpetrators.
The Parkwood area has a grim history regarding e-hailing safety. In previous years, the community was rocked by the deadly mob attack on an Uber driver, an incident that remains a sensitive topic in the region. The latest robbery serves as a grim reminder that despite safety crackdowns by e-hailing platforms, drivers remain highly vulnerable .
The 'Isolation' Strategy: A Growing Trend
The Parkwood robbery reflects a worrying trend identified by safety experts and police. Criminals are increasingly using e-hailing platforms to lure drivers into specific, isolated locations where they can be easily ambushed. A recent warning from the SAPS in the Nelson Mandela Bay District noted a "noticeable increase" in such hijacking and robbery incidents, suggesting a nationwide pattern .
"Drivers are being isolated before the attack," noted a safety advocate on social media. "If you're an e-hailing driver, you have the right to prioritise your safety, but the current system often leaves them as sitting ducks for opportunistic criminals".
The e-hailing industry in South Africa is also facing a compliance deadline. As of 11 March 2026, services that are not compliant with new safety and operational regulations are not allowed to operate legally, yet the implementation of these measures has done little to stop the tide of violent crime targeting the workforce.
Community Reaction: Outrage and Relief
The video has sparked widespread outrage online, with many South Africans calling for more drastic measures to protect e-hailing drivers. Social media users described the incident as "deeply traumatising," though many expressed relief that Abubakr escaped without physical injury.
"SA has become a home of robbers and killers," wrote one user under a post by crime activist Yusuf Abramjee. Another commented, "At least he's alive, but the trauma of having a gun to your neck while Fifth Harmony plays is something he'll
never forget".
As the hunt for the two suspects continues, the e-hailing community remains on edge. For drivers like Abubakr, the "Work From Home" anthem has taken on a far more sinister meaning, representing a job that now carries the constant threat of a violent end.
