Africa-Press – South-Africa. Western Cape police have issued a stern warning to e-hailing drivers to be cautious when entering Brown’s Farm, Nyanga, following a spike of robberies in the area.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said police are “battling” another upsurge in robberies afflicting e-hailing drivers and marketplace sellers who drive out to Brown’s Farm in response to online business call-outs.
“An earnest plea is made to the online drivers and traders to reconsider venturing out to Brown’s Farm.
Potelwa said Nyanga police had recorded numerous robbery cases where marketplace users and e-hailing drivers fall prey to unscrupulous scammers who lure unsuspecting victims to Brown’s Farm and then rob and, sometimes, attack them.
Bolt drivers told News24 the area had become a “hot spot” for attacking drivers. The drivers also said that some of the passengers they collected on trips were the same people robbing and physically attacking them in their own vehicles.
“On our drivers’ WhatsApp groups, we warn each other of the dangerous areas. Recently, all the warnings in the group have been for the Nyanga area and for us to stay clear because they are targeting us. It’s very scary when you read these messages coming through about our drivers again being attacked,” said a Bolt driver.
Several drivers told News24 they have decided not to go into the Nyanga area at all, even though they claim most of their trips from the busy city centre in Cape Town are to that particular area.
Recalling a recent trip from Observatory to Brown’s Farm, Bester said he accepted a request from a young couple – but unbeknown to him, it was a set-up.
“There were about 10 people waiting to attack me when I pulled into the area to drop the couple off. They robbed me, took my car, stabbed me in the stomach, threw me out of the car and drove away with my vehicle.”
“It was very traumatising. Luckily I managed to get my car back after a few days, but I will never set foot there again. It’s a dangerous place,” Bester added.
For Mvelei Qongqo, going into the area is a “no-go” – even if the money is right.
“Every time we go to drop off or pick up people in the area, we are at high risk. Unfortunately, we have to avoid the area if we want to live to see the next day. As experienced drivers we do not take a trip if it is to Nyanga, but the newer drivers still make the trips, and I feel sorry for them,” said Qongqo.
Community policing forum (CPF) spokesperson Dumisani Qwebe said they condemn the recent attacks on drivers, especially over weekends and have asked drivers to “be careful” when in the area.
“Brown’s Farm is dangerous, and recent attacks on e-hailing drivers are appalling. Not only does it give a very bad name to the area, but now people and tourists won’t want to come here as well. We are appealing to the drivers to not go into the areas, but if they really need to be there, then they must rather go to the police station and request an escort,” he said.
The CPF added that the attacks on drivers are of concern and that drivers must exercise extreme caution when going into the area.
Western Cape E-hailing Association (WCEA) spokesperson Siyabonga Hlabisa said their drivers report daily to the association on robberies and hijackings in the area.
“We have now noticed an increase in drivers who drive Toyota Avanza vehicles becoming more of a target for these criminal activities. Most drivers who fall victim to these crimes are those who accept cash trips because the criminals are now using the apps to request rides,” Hlabisa added.
He said as much as regular warnings from officials are being given to the drivers, WCEA still receives reports that there are drivers taking trips in the area.
“Unfortunately, many drivers still choose to go into the area for their own reasons. We are currently trying to raise more awareness of the Nyanga area being a dangerous place for e-hailing drivers,” Hlabisa added.
According to Nyanga police station commander Brigadier Lindiwe Dyantyi, the majority of drivers who fell victim, said when interviewed that they didn’t know the area at all.
“Some of the victims were even under the impression that the area they were called out to was not a township, but a farm. While the precinct experienced a slight decrease in reported cases after the September/October arrests, the incidents have gone up again.
“It’s on this basis we caution both e-hailing drivers and online sellers to reconsider venturing out to Brown’s Farm,” added Dyantyi.
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
