While we are battling with Gender-Based Violence, e-hailing service company, Bolt, has recently found itself being accused of being unsafe especially for females in South Africa, with allegation all over social media platforms, of incidents involving its drivers alleging that they abuse women.
The company has responded and said that is has noted the various reports by women on social media about instances where they’ve felt unsafe while using e-hailing services, and vehemently condemns any incidents of violence that they have suffered.
“Women feeling unsafe or being injured as a result of men’s actions is a tragically ongoing South African issue that affects women in their homes, at work, when they are out socialising, and when they are traveling on different forms of public transport. Bolt strongly condemns gender-based violence, unwavering in our belief that every person has the right to move around without risk of harm, intimidation or coercion, or fear of death or injury,” said Gareth Taylor, Country Manager of Bolt South Africa.
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“Where incidents are reported to Bolt through the app or by email, or to the SAPS, Bolt is resolutely committed to supporting any investigation with all information it can gather from its digital platform, which records detail about the parties on a ride, the nature of their journey, and feedback from both parties about their experience,” Taylor added.
Taylor urged the victims to report any incident through the correct channels.
“The SAPS is mandated by law to investigate any crime, and any incident involving theft, injury, or other damage. Such incidents should be reported at the victim’s nearest police station, and a case number secured. Once a case has been opened, SAPS can request information from any involved parties that can assist in their investigation, but it is vital that this procedural issue is followed,” he said.
For the safety of its passengers, the e-hailing service company also reassured passengers that use its platform to connect to drivers that:
• Drivers require a Professional Driving Permit issued by local authorities to be accepted onto the Bolt platform. This permit is only granted to applicants who pass a full criminal background check completed by the authorities.
• When complaints of a serious nature are received, Bolt activates its High Priority Team to immediately investigate. There is nothing we take more seriously than the safety of the people who use our platform.
• Unlike many other forms of public transport, Bolt is able to harvest detailed information about every ride made possible by the platform, including the driver’s name, identity number, and mobile phone number, as well as the detail about the trip, including the passenger’s details, route is taken, and the time taken to complete the trip.
• While this information is protected by privacy law for the protection of drivers and passengers, Bolt is able to share any information about a trip with SAPS that could help with an investigation, following a formal request relating to a case number from them.
• Any driver implicated in an incident that is being investigated by SAPS is immediately suspended from the platform until the investigation is complete, and is only cleared to drive with the platform again once they have been cleared by SAPS of any wrongdoing.
• Any driver convicted of a crime is removed from the platform permanently.
Passengers using any ride-hailing service should take note of these safety tips:
• Wait for your ride in a safe location, until the app alerts you that the driver has arrived. Avoid dark areas, and don’t wait unaccompanied.
• Be sure that the vehicle that arrives to collect you matches the details of the ride that the app has shared with you. Ask the driver to give you his name, and ask him who he is looking for – it should be you! Also check that the car makes and model match what’s in the app, along with its registration.
• Ensure that the driver’s picture matches the individual who is driving the vehicle.
• Activate Bolt’s ‘Share My ETA’ function at the bottom of the app, right under the driver’s profile, to share your trip details with trusted friends or family.
“It remains Bolt’s heartfelt view that everyone in South Africa has the right to travel safely and to earn a living safely, and we continue to look for ways to make e-hailing safer for everybody, in consultation with the SAPS, the Department of Transport, and other stakeholders,” Taylor concludes.
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