The popular ride hailing company, Bolt, has reportedly blocked/banned over 6000 drivers for misconduct. According to a statement Bolt rendered to Techcabal, the taxi app will continue to permanently ban drivers and riders who have been reported for misconduct, prohibiting them from accessing the platform.
Lately, Bolt has been facing allegations from South Africans of maintaining low standards for its driver partners. Gig drivers in South Africa have been accused of misconduct, harassment, and sexual assault, prompting ride-hailing platforms to take action due to threats of litigation and public backlash. In response, Bolt, over the past six months, has blocked more than 6,000 drivers in South Africa due to the misconduct and will persist in permanently blocking both drivers and riders reported for misconduct from accessing the platform.
In March, Emmanuel Mudau, a former Bolt driver, was convicted and sentenced to two life sentences and two 15-year terms for rape, kidnapping, and assault. Last month, another Bolt driver was arrested and charged for allegedly stabbing two young women during a payment dispute over their drop-off location in Cape Town.
In response to Mudau case, Godrich Gardee Attorneys announced plans to pursue a civil claim against Bolt, alleging the company's failure to safeguard it passengers. The incident in Cape Town sparked widespread social media outcry regarding the safety of female passengers using ride-hailing services.
Despite these concerns, Bolt has been aggressively expanding its presence in Southern and Northern Africa, having launched operations in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Egypt in the past eight months, increasing its African footprint to a total of 14 markets since its inception in South Africa in 2016.