Bolt has condemned the intimidation of its Bajaj Qute drivers after a video went viral showing the vehicle being smashed by three men associated with the minibus taxi industry.
In a short viral video, three minibus taxi patrollers were seen smashing the bright yellow “vehicle” with a rock, smashing its windows, popping its tyres and also appearing to try to push it down a slope.
The aggressors appear to be from the taxi industry as they travel in a marked car associated with the minibus taxi industry with the words "taxi patrol" written on the bumper.
It is not visible which taxi association was responsible for the attack, but the branded brown Toyota Corolla is clearly visible, and the attackers appear to make no attempt to conceal their identities either.
The SA Taxi Council’s Gauteng secretary, Graham Fritz, could not be reached for comment on his phone on Wednesday.
Bolt’s regional manager for Southern Africa, Takura Malaba, said they were still trying to open a case with the police, and he said they were "committed to working with all stakeholders in the transport industry to find a way for all parties to work alongside each other".
“We believe that all South Africans should have access to effective and safe transport,” said Malaba.
He said Bolt was engaging with relevant authorities regarding community safety.
“Crime against ride-hailing drivers continues to be a national issue of great concern, and the safety of drivers who use the Bolt platform is of utmost importance to us.
“We strongly urge law enforcement to take serious action against these criminals who have threatened a driver and damaged private property but have also prevented the driver from earning an income that provides for his family.
“Bolt condemns criminal conduct and violence of any form directed towards ride-hailing drivers because it believes that everyone has the right to earn a living and move around without risk of harm, intimidation, coercion, or fear of death or injury,” said Malaba.
Bolt said they did not "compete with any public transport mode", saying their cars were an essential component of multimodal transport for passengers.
The new Bolt Lite category, which is serviced exclusively by the Bajaj Qute quadricycles, is the cheapest ride on offer on the platform.
It has become the latest target between the minibus taxi industry and e-hailing operators.
The new Bolt Lite category "vehicles", which are technically registered as quadricycles, are easily identifiable with their bright mustard colour, making them an easy target.
Drivers have also raised concerns about the cars, saying they would cause a threat of violence in the sector.
https://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/watch-minibus-taxi-patrollers-smash-bolt-backed-bajaj-car-in-broad-daylight-as-tensions-heighten-55c42250-729e-41ed-9690-50a1fad15f12
The cars were launched in August through a partnership between Bolt, My Next Car, and the Gauteng Department of Economic Development.
The Bolt Lite category is intended for short trips only, and in the past few weeks, the mustard "vehicles" have been flooding the streets of Randburg, Braamfontein, and Johannesburg. They are the cheapest rides available, with only one passenger allowed per ride. The Bajaj Qute has a top speed of 70 km/h.
Malaba said Bolt was continuously developing safety features and tools that have a real impact on addressing drivers’ safety concerns.
"This includes an SOS button located within the Bolt app’s Safety Toolkit, which enables drivers and passengers to connect quickly and easily 24/7 to private armed response teams, private emergency medical services, and roadside assistance if they are involved in any medical or security emergency while on a Bolt ride.
"Bolt also shares information and other sources about danger hotspots with drivers, and drivers can decline a trip if they are concerned about the pick-up location’s safety," said Malaba.
As of mid-August 2023, Bolt said it now had over 40,000 active drivers in 23 cities across South Africa who were earning a living on the platform.
Bolt also launched Bolt Food earlier this year, a food delivery service on the platform.
IOL