Five Arrested After Cape Town E-hailing Driver Rescued From Kidnap

Overview

• Police say the 25-year-old driver was lured through his e-hailing contacts and was taken captive after meeting a woman he had exchanged numbers with.
• The suspects allegedly raped the man, held him for ransom and demanded R4,000 from his family before his brother alerted police.
• Officers tracked the driver’s vehicle to Southampton Road in Heathfield and rescued him on Saturday, 12 September, after which five people were arrested.
• The five charged include two women aged 23 and 34, two men aged 42 and 48, and a 16-year-old minor who face counts that include rape and extortion and are due in Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
• The case underscores how vehicle-tracking can help police locate victims quickly and raises questions about e-hailing safety, platform responsibilities and how prosecutions will proceed when a juvenile is involved.