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The driver of an e-hailing vehicle was shot on Wednesday at the bustling Maponya Mall in Soweto.
According to Gauteng police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, the driver died and another two people were injured when the e-hailing vehicle was attacked.
An e-hailing vehicle, most likely an Uber or Bolt, pulled up to the entrance and became the epicentre of a sudden, brutal ambush.
Four men allegedly opened fire on the driver, killing him, then set the vehicle ablaze. A nearby e-hailing driver narrowly escaped with injuries; his vehicle was also torched. Tragically, a passerby was caught in the crossfire and was wounded, too.
Gauteng authorities classified the incident as a case of murder, attempted murder, and arson, and the investigations are ongoing.
“We need Uber because some of our family members work inside the mall until late … now the taxis don't want the Ubers to operate inside Maponya Mall. This is too much,” said one tearful local resident, told Times Live.
Preliminary insights suggested a chilling and all too familiar issue of ongoing taxi-industry violence, and as such, a struggle over market territory between traditional minibus taxis and newer ride-hailing services like Uber and Bolt.
Gauteng transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela described the attack as “senseless and unacceptable”.
“No grievance or commercial dispute justifies the taking of a life or putting innocent people at risk. Violence of this nature undermines public safety, tarnishes the image of our transport sector and cannot be tolerated under any circumstances,” Diale-Tlabela said.
She urged taxi associations and e-hailing operators to resolve disputes through peaceful dialogue.
At its core, this new tragedy underscores the collision between disruptive technological innovation and entrenched socio-economic systems.
Ride-hailing platforms like Uber and Bolt have offered gateways to flexible income and convenience, especially in underserved urban areas. But their rapid expansion outside regulatory guardrails elicited hostility from legacy taxi operators, whose livelihood and identity are intimately tied to passenger transport.
It seems that this tragedy highlights that this isn’t just about cars or apps; it’s about control, equity, and the right to modernise. Without collaborative frameworks, these platforms risk becoming battlegrounds rather than bridges.
This incident isn’t a one-off flashpoint; it’s indicative of structural gaps.
Government has failed to assist ride-hailing platforms in building a harmonious relationship with local transport ecosystems.
There’s an urgent need for innovation, not just in vehicle autonomy or payment systems, but in policy integration, conflict mediation, and shared value creation.