An e-hailing driver was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint before being hijacked in Athlone.
The driver said what began as what appeared to be a routine cash trip from Mitchells Plain to Athlone turned into a planned robbery. He picked up a woman from a house in Estelle Crescent, Mitchells Plain, at approximately 5pm.
When they arrived in Doctor Abdurahman Avenue, Athlone, the woman allegedly asked him to wait for her boyfriend, who would pay for the trip.
According to the driver, a man then emerged from a nearby property before two more men joined him. The group allegedly attacked him and took his grey Volkswagen Polo Vivo.
The driver said the men also robbed him of cash and a cellphone belonging to a friend, which had been left in the vehicle’s glove compartment.
“They physically assaulted me and pointed a gun at me before robbing me of my vehicle, money and a cellphone belonging to my friend, which was in the glove compartment.
“The men also wanted to take me with them, but I managed to get away and run. There were people at the scene who saw what happened.”
The driver escaped on foot and later contacted a friend for help. He said the incident was the first time he had been hijacked, although he had previously been robbed while working in the e-hailing industry.
Friend searches for driver
The driver sent his friend the location after escaping. The friend said he went there but could not find him when he arrived.
He then spoke to people in the area. Some of them allegedly said they had witnessed the robbery and provided a description of what had happened.
“I kept looking for him and eventually found him near a garage in Belgravia,” the friend said.
The driver was later able to report the incident. A case was opened at Athlone police station.
The driver’s account of the woman’s role and the identities of the alleged attackers will form part of the police investigation. Police have not confirmed whether the woman was involved in planning the robbery or whether she knew the men who allegedly attacked the driver.
Vehicle appeal
The driver is appealing to members of the public to help find his stolen vehicle. The car is a grey VW Polo Vivo with registration number CAA 399 309.
He said he relies on the vehicle to earn a living and support himself, making its recovery especially urgent.
The vehicle may be identifiable by its registration number, colour and model. Members of the public are urged not to approach anyone found in possession of the car or attempt to recover it themselves. Any information should instead be reported to the police.
The driver has not disclosed whether the vehicle contained additional e-hailing equipment, personal belongings or other items when it was taken.
Police confirm carjacking case
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel FC van Wyk confirmed that Athlone police had registered a carjacking case.
“The case is under investigation. No arrests have been made yet,” he said.
Police have not confirmed whether the stolen vehicle has been fitted with a tracking device or whether its location has been identified. Investigators may examine the driver’s trip records, cellphone information, witness accounts and any available security-camera footage from Doctor Abdurahman Avenue and surrounding roads.
The driver’s friend said people in the area had witnessed the robbery and may be able to assist detectives with information about the attackers and the direction in which they fled.
Safety concerns for e-hailing drivers
The incident has again raised concerns about the risks faced by e-hailing drivers, who often collect passengers from unfamiliar addresses and operate during evening hours.
Drivers may be vulnerable when passengers request cash trips, ask them to wait at a destination or direct them to a location where other people are waiting. The driver said he believed the trip was ordinary until the alleged attackers approached him.
He had previously been robbed while working in the industry but said this was the first time his vehicle had been hijacked.
For now, Athlone detectives are investigating the case and no arrests have been made. The driver and his friend hope that witnesses, residents, motorists or anyone who sees the grey VW Polo Vivo will provide information that could lead to its recovery.
Anyone with information about the vehicle or the robbery should contact Athlone police. The public is reminded not to confront suspected criminals or attempt to retrieve the car without police assistance.