The e-hailing driver who was allegedly assaulted and threatened at gunpoint by security guards in Kwandengezi, west of Durban, is reportedly considering withdrawing his criminal case after receiving death threats.
The development has alarmed the KwaZulu-Natal E-hailing Council, which says the incident underscores the growing dangers faced by e-hailing operators in parts of the province.
The driver was allegedly attacked on Wednesday while transporting passengers in the Mariannhill township. According to the council, he has since been threatened and warned to drop the case or risk being killed.
KwaZulu-Natal E-hailing Council chairperson Mzo Ngcobo said the threats emerged shortly after the driver opened a case at the Kwandengezi police station.
“We found out that he is seriously considering dropping the case. However, we are grateful that the department intervened and indicated that even if he withdraws the case, there is still a matter relating to the public brandishing of firearms. That gives us hope because we want this matter to go to court so that justice can take its course,” said Ngcobo.
The incident, which was captured on video and widely shared on social media, allegedly involved security guards employed by On Call Security, a company said to monitor taxi industry activities in the area.
In the footage, three men are seen blocking a maroon Renault Triber driven by the e-hailing operator. Despite the obstruction, the driver continues moving while carrying passengers.
The security guards can allegedly be heard shouting at the driver, demanding to know why he was operating in the area despite being warned not to do so. They also question the passengers about why they were travelling in the vehicle.
One of the suspects is seen firing at a tyre of the moving vehicle, causing the driver to lose control and collide with a security company vehicle that was blocking the road ahead.
Armed men then allegedly force open the vehicle’s doors, drag the driver out and assault him. One of the suspects is seen pointing a firearm at the driver while demanding to know why he had not stopped when instructed.
The passengers, including women travelling in the vehicle, were also allegedly harassed during the confrontation.
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Ngcobo described the incident as one of the most serious attacks on e-hailing operators in recent years.
“What is happening to e-hailing drivers is deeply worrying, but what happened in Kwandengezi is extreme. Harassment intensified last year and drivers have continued to face challenges ever since,” he said.
He said the incident demonstrated the failure of efforts to promote peaceful coexistence between the taxi industry and e-hailing operators.
While the driver weighs his options in the face of intimidation, provincial government has moved quickly following arrests.
Meanwhile, Kwazulu-Natal Transport MEC Siboniso Duma confirmed that three security guards seen in the video brandishing rifles and allegedly assaulting the driver and female passengers had been arrested.
“We wish to inform the people of this province and the country that three gun-wielding security guards who violently attacked an e-hailing driver and harassed female passengers in Kwandengezi have been arrested,” said Duma.
The MEC praised members of the South African Police Service, Operation Shanela, the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) and Durban Metro Police for their swift response.
Duma also called on the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) to take decisive action against anyone found to have violated legislation governing the private security industry.
He said arrangements were being made to provide psychological counselling to both the driver and the female passengers affected by the incident.
According to Duma, his office has met with the driver’s family and engaged the leadership of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) and the Kwandengezi taxi association in an effort to defuse tensions and prevent further incidents.
For the e-hailing community, the allegations come at a time when operators say harassment has persisted and escalated, affecting both safety on the road and the willingness of drivers to pursue complaints without fear of retaliation.
As the case hangs in the balance, the council says the legal path may still proceed even if the driver withdraws, particularly because of the alleged public brandishing of firearms.
The confrontation in Kwandengezi has brought renewed attention to the risks e-hailing operators face, especially in areas where tensions with other transport sectors appear to flare. With death threats reportedly now entering the picture, the situation is raising renewed concerns about intimidation, accountability and the protection of witnesses in ongoing criminal matters.
