Cape Town - Two young women were left seriously injured after a Bolt driver allegedly stabbed them in Table View.
Anti-gender based violence movement, Keep The Energy’s Michael van Niekerk, said the suspect attacked the passengers on May 4.
He said the driver refused to drop the passengers off at their destination.
“A Bolt driver stabbed two female passengers on Saturday in Table View. The driver allegedly refused to drop the group of friends at their requested location, he allegedly started hitting the person in the passenger seat, a fight erupted, the car stopped, and the group of friends ran away.
“The driver then allegedly ran after them and stabbed two of the women.”
Van Niekerk said they were concerned about attacks on women.
“At Keep The Energy, we are incredibly concerned about this because of how frequently Bolt drivers attack and assault customers, but what’s more worrying is that it seems as if Bolt is not doing much to prevent it.”
Bolt public relations manager, Sandra Buyole, said Bolt was deeply disturbed by the incident involving one of its drivers who allegedly assaulted two female riders.
“We regard such conduct as completely unacceptable. Our team has reached out to the riders to offer support and find out what support they require, which includes face-to-face counselling.
“Our Customer Support Team Lead for Safety will also be travelling to Cape Town to pay a courtesy visit to express our sympathy over the incident.
“Upon learning of the incident, Bolt immediately took action to block the driver from the platform while a thorough investigation is conducted.
“The safety and well-being of our riders are our top priorities, and we do not tolerate any behaviour that compromises their safety or security.
“Bolt always has, and always will, condemn every instance of violence, no matter where or when it takes place, as it betrays everyone’s hope of a safe, secure South Africa where everyone can move around freely, no matter their location, or the time of day or night.
“We take the safety of passengers and drivers that use the platform very seriously and have zero tolerance for any violence that happens during or around a ride made possible by our platform.
“We are fully co-operating with local authorities in their investigation of the incident and will take all necessary steps to prevent such occurrences in the future.
“Bolt remains committed to providing a safe and reliable transport option for all our users.”
Cape Argus