A 23-year-old woman is set to appear in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 2 November, following her arrest in connection with the robbery of a female e-hailing driver whose ordeal was caught on dashcam footage and widely shared on social media.
Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko confirmed that the suspect was tracked down and arrested on Saturday, 31 October — a day after the driver was targeted at the corner of Lilly and Joel streets on the border of Hillbrow and Berea in Johannesburg.
“Hillbrow police have arrested a 23-year-old female suspect on Saturday, 31 October 2026, in connection with a robbery that was captured on dashcam footage,” Sibeko said.
Driver hides cellphone under seat during ambush
The attack unfolded on Friday after the female driver responded to a ride request in the area.
In the dashcam video circulating online, a woman is seen walking up to the vehicle after booking the trip. A brief argument breaks out before two men suddenly appear and rob the driver of an undisclosed amount of cash.
During the commotion, the driver managed to slip her cellphone underneath another seat to keep it out of sight and later escaped with the device.
“The victim subsequently came forward and opened a case of robbery with the police,” Sibeko confirmed.
Another robbery at Hillbrow/Berea, Cnr Lilly and Joel Street on Friday 2026/10/30. If you recognize the criminals please contact the SAPS. https://t.co/ZxqVYFDuIh
— Absent Step-Uncle (@MemeZaDotCom) October 30, 2026
In response to the attack, Hillbrow Acting Station Commander Colonel Marite has established a dedicated task team to investigate robberies in the precinct and track down the woman's accomplices.
“Police are still searching for two additional suspects believed to be involved in the robbery,” Sibeko added.
Growing wave of e-hailing attacks across Gauteng
The Hillbrow robbery follows two other frightening incidents involving e-hailing drivers in Gauteng captured on camera within the same week.
In a separate incident in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, night-vision dashcam footage has surfaced showing a male e-hailing driver abandoning his car and running for his life during an alleged hijacking. A woman wearing distinctive headwear can be seen sitting inside the vehicle shortly before the driver flees on foot. The exact circumstances around the Tembisa incident remain unclear, and no criminal case had been opened at the time of publishing.
Meanwhile, the Hillbrow arrest comes just days after police rounded up five suspects, aged between 15 and 21, following a similar dashcam-recorded ambush on a 20-year-old e-hailing driver on Maine Street in Eldorado Park Extension 7 on Tuesday, 27 October.
In the Eldorado Park attack, a female passenger got into the front seat after requesting a ride and told the driver to wait for her brothers. Two male accomplices then climbed into the car and turned on the driver. One suspect yanked the handbrake while another outside the car fired a gunshot and demanded the driver's phone.
Although the young driver managed to flee the vehicle, the group made off with his cash, bank cards, identity document, and driving licence before being tracked down by police days later.