Murder of e-hail driver in Polokwane sparks safety concerns
Two more teenagers, aged 15 and 16-years-old, handed themselves over to police accompanied by their parents following the discovery of Tshepo Rufus Mankgena’s lifeless body in Polokwane.
POLOKWANE – The discovery of e-hailing service provider, Tshepo Rufus Mankgena’s lifeless body between the vacant Ext 40 land and the Polokwane Place of Safety, has sparked safety concerns from private transport services associations in the city.
Three boys, aged 15, 16 and 17 were arrested after the incident, after they were identified by police as those who set Mankgena alight and dumped his body on October 8 before fleeing with his vehicle to the industrial area of Ladine, where it was found abandoned days after.
Read more: Teen (17) arrested in Ladanna for murder of e-hailing taxi driver
The police’s preliminary investigations revealed that the three requested a ride using the an e-hailing online platform, and along the way stabbed the driver to death, later setting the body alight before dumping it.
The boys appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Monday on counts of murder and carjacking after the 17-year-old was apprehended in Ladanna last Tuesday and the other two handed themselves over accompanied by their parents, the Polokwane E-hailing Association responded with worry saying there is little to do to safeguard the safety of drivers.
After the burial of their colleague planned for this weekend, spokesperson Aubrey Phasha said they would be exploring protection measures to avoid another eventuality, as there is no regulatory body responsible for their safety.
“As it stands, the association has not reached an agreement on protection measures drivers can take that will not make commuters uncomfortable. But, we urge them to be vigilant, especially at odd hours. We are disheartened to realise that the service that was once deemed as a safer option for commuters, is now used to perpetuate such terrible crimes. Once we are done with the burial and engage the family, we will approach the relevant transport bodies to assist,” Phasha mentioned.
Meanwhile, the issue of safety has long been asked by commuters, who say they have been targeted by bogus drivers on some occasions.
Although cases are only sporadically reported to the police, victims reached out to Polokwane Observer in the past in an effort to report the crimes, after either having been sexually or emotionally victimised, while others had valuable items stolen from them.
In February, six E-hailing drivers, organised under a group named ‘Kgama’ operated in the city and were beaten up by angry residents after they were found to be responsible for robbing students.
Read more: Trap leads to e-hailing drivers stripped naked and beaten in Polokwane
Following a video in which the mob paraded the men naked in the city was circulated on social media at the time, a source close to Polokwane Observer, revealed that they observed the group and found that the men committed crimes in the CBD, targeting specifically college and university students.
Read more: Two arrested for stripping and beating e-hailing drivers in Polokwane
Phasha’s association released a statement distancing itself from the supposed drivers and confirmed the men operated using stolen profiles.
“The men were acting contrary to the rules and regulations provided by any of the E-hailing companies operating in Polokwane (Bolt, T-Drive and Uber) and are criminals that should be left to the law enforcement agencies to deal with,” their statement reads.
