South Africans Outraged After Two Women Arrested for Kidnapping and Rape of E-hailing Driver
- Police in the Western Cape have made arrests after a 25-year-old e-hailing driver was abducted and then raped
- The victim's brother received a R4,000 ransom demand from the suspects, prompting him to alert Steenberg police
- South Africans took to social media to weigh in on the news, sharing outrage at it, and calling for harsher punishments
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Source: Getty Images
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
WESTERN CAPE - South Africans are outraged after news surfaced that two women were among those arrested for the kidnapping and rape of an e-hailing driver.
The 25-year-old e-hailing driver was rescued after being kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and held for ransom by five suspects in Cape Town.
Steenberg police launched the rescue operation after the victim's brother contacted them to report that he had received a R4,000 ransom demand from the alleged kidnappers. Officers used the GPS tracking device fitted to the victim's vehicle to locate him at Southampton Road in Heathfield on Saturday, 12 September 2026.
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How the kidnapping unfolded
Police spokesperson Ndakhe Gwala explained that the victim had first encountered one of the female suspects through his e-hailing work the previous week. The two exchanged contact details and remained in communication before agreeing to meet.
"When he went to meet her, he was kidnapped by the suspects and the females raped him," Gwala said.
The group behind the attack comprised three male and two female suspects. The victim was held captive while the suspects contacted his brother with a ransom demand for his release.
Public call for harsher sentences
The incident drew a sharp reaction from South Africans on social media, with many calling on authorities to impose stricter penalties for sexual violence and kidnapping.
Franklin Ernstzen wrote:
"Male...female...but yor, no man, yor. Yor, it hurts a person inside when reading these things."
Thembakazi Maliwa said:
"Keep them in jail. They are not good for society."
Margaret Theron commented:
"I can't understand. SA is a member of BRICS. Other members hang or shoot wrongdoers."
Sandile Dladla stated:
"They deserve to be in jail."
Andre Smith wrote:
"First torture, and then the death penalty, to them and all rapists."
Raj Dwarikaparsad added:
"The death penalty needs to be reinstated."
Other stories about e-hailing drivers being attacked
- A dashcam video captured the moment an e-hailing driver confronted passengers who allegedly attempted to hijack his vehicle.
- An e-hailing driver made a daring escape after having a gun pointed at his head by his attacker.
- A Cape Town e-hailing driver was attacked and pepper-sprayed in a robbery caught on dashcam.
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Source: Briefly News
