Bolt says it has yet to decide whether it will pursue legal action following the alleged kidnapping of YouTuber Simthande Myeza. The e-hailing company has completed an internal investigation and, based on its platform data, maintains that the incident did not occur during a Bolt trip.
Senior General Manager of Bolt South Africa, Lerato Motsoeneng, says the platform takes all safety allegations extremely seriously.
“Based on the available data, we can confirm that the incident described did not occur during a Bolt trip. We also have strong reasons to believe that the drivers who took trips from locations relevant to the incident had nothing to do with the incident,” said Motsoeneng.
BOLT SAYS CLAIMS DON’T ADD UP
In a statement released by the platform, Motsoeneng said riders and drivers have no prior knowledge of each other before a match occurs on the app.
“The trip was completed by a driver-partner, and the drop-off point was recorded approximately 114 metres from the originally requested location. This falls within the expected margin of GPS accuracy. We can confirm that the rider and driver were alone in the vehicle,” Motsoeneng said.
The platform also suggests that no trip activity was recorded when the alleged incident occurred. Motsoeneng added that Bolt’s systems maintain secure and tamper-proof records, which include time stamps and geolocation details.
POLICE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said Umbilo police are investigating a case of kidnapping. He said the incident occurred on Tuesday, 17 June.
“It is reported that the victim requested services of an e-hailing vehicle. However, the driver drove towards a different direction. Along the way, two other men got into the vehicle, and the three men took the victim to a house. He was reportedly made to withdraw an undisclosed amount of money and was also forced to solicit money from family and friends,” added Netshiunda.
Bolt says its findings have been shared with the relevant authorities.
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