By Palesa Matlala
- University dropout Siyamthanda Zwane was hijacked, beaten and dumped naked at an abandoned mine after picking up Bolt passengers in Soweto.
- Driver Tebogo Nkwe bought a gun after being hijacked twice in 2024, while single mother Mercy Shiburi found success with trusted clients only.
The white Suzuki that was meant to change Siyamthanda Zwane’s life is gone forever.
The 22-year-old university dropout from KwaZulu-Natal came to Johannesburg in January 2025 with big dreams. He wanted to work as a Bolt driver, save money and return to his studies.
Instead, he ended up naked, beaten and dumped at an abandoned mine near Carltonville.
Zwane’s nightmare began with what seemed like a normal trip in Soweto last month. He picked up a female passenger, and everything looked fine.
“I always take precautions as a driver. I check the client’s request history. If a client has fewer rides I don’t pick it up but with that ride everything happened so fast,” he said.
As he waited for payment at the destination, another woman and a man forced themselves into his car.
“The male got in the car and sat behind me, while the other lady got in the front and told me to drive. I felt something cold pressed against my neck and I instantly knew it was a gun,” Zwane recalled.
The hijackers drove him around for almost the whole night. They stripped him naked, beat him up and left him at the mine without his money, phone or car.
The white Suzuki was never recovered. Zwane now regrets coming to Johannesburg.
His story is not unique. Tebogo Nkwe, 35, was hijacked twice in 2024. That’s when he decided to arm himself.
The first attack happened in March on the outskirts of Eldorado Park. Four men took everything that belonged to him.
Nkwe claimed from his insurance company and bought another car. But bad luck followed him.
“Bad luck followed me and I was hijacked again in Snake Park while waiting for a client,” said Nkwe.
These attacks led Nkwe to register for firearm competency. In January 2025, he bought his first gun.
“I am not a violent person, but South Africa is. Nothing is as painful as someone forcefully taking something that belongs to you. I am tired of being the victim and should anyone try to rob me I am going to use my gun on them without fear,” said Nkwe.
He said he loved the benefits of being an e-hailing driver but now he does it just to feed his family.
Not all e-hailing stories end in tragedy. For Mercy Shiburi, 38, this industry brought joy back to her life.
The single mother of three left her 18-year marriage in 2021. Without a job, she struggled to look after her children.
A neighbour at their complex suggested she use her car to make money.
“Honestly, I was terrified of being an Uber driver till my neighbour asked that I transport her to work and she will pay me. I did that for a few months in early 2022 and I found myself with more clients,” said Shiburi.
The mother of three picks up her first client at 6am and drops off the last one at 7pm. Though she registered with Uber, she doesn’t do the usual pick-ups. All her clients are people she knows who make special requests.
Shiburi bought her second car in December 2024 and hired a driver who works at malls and airports. She only picks up rides from the mall on weekends, but even that scares her.
“Being an e-hailing driver has allowed me an opportunity to buy my second car and be a present parent to my children,” said Shiburi.
She considers herself lucky that neither she nor her driver have experienced anything harmful.
“My goal is to buy a bigger car that will only transport goods and not people because this industry is not for everyone,” she added.
Pictured above: Bolt.
Image source: @Bolt
