The KwaZulu-Natal E-Hailing Council has announced that it was assisting South African YouTuber, comedian, and radio presenter Simthande Myeza to get justice.
This comes after Myeza accused a Bolt driver of kidnapping him and emptying his bank account. However, after a thorough internal investigation, Bolt issued a statement on June 23, asserting that the incident did not occur during a Bolt trip.
Bolt cleared its drivers
Its decision follows Bolt’s investigation, which cleared its drivers and platform of involvement.
“As the KZN e-Hailing Council, we immediately dispatched one of our members to visit Simthande. This was in an effort to gather more information and retrieve trip details from his rider profile. Unfortunately, our representative was unable to access the necessary data. Subsequently, the rep requested the email and phone number used by Simthande to register on the app.
“Given that the matter has been officially reported to both the police and Bolt, the KZN e-hailing Council believes it is appropriate to allow them the necessary time and space to conduct their investigations thoroughly.
“The council is urgently appealing to the driver who transported Simthande home after the abductors had ordered a ride on his behalf — to come forward. Your cooperation could prove vital in resolving this case and bringing those responsible to justice,” said the council.
The council attempted to access Myeza’s trip data but was unable to retrieve it directly. They instead relied on Bolt’s confirmation of cooperation with police. The council also appealed to the driver of the return trip to come forward to aid the investigation.
Company says trip not on its platform
Bolt South Africa, through Senior General Manager Lerato Motsoeneng, initially expressed sympathy. The company pledged full cooperation with authorities.
However, this week, Motsoeneng said after a thorough internal investigation revealed a different information. The trip in question didn’t happen through the company’s platform.
“According to verified trip data, Myeza requested a ride at 15:03 on June 17. It was completed without incident. The drop-off point was 114 meters from the requested location — within GPS accuracy margins. Bolt’s records show no trip activity associated with Myeza around 20:00, when the alleged incident occurred.”
A return trip mentioned on social media posts was traced to a different driver and rider account. It was matched via Bolt’s algorithm, which ensures drivers have no prior knowledge of the rider’s identity.
“Based on the findings of the official investigation, we will decide whether to pursue legal action against any claims that turn out to be slanderous against Bolt,” said Motsoeneng.
According to a statement by family spokesperson Lomsongaka Myeza, Simthande was abducted on the evening of June 17 while using a Bolt ride.
Abducted, bank account emptied
The driver allegedly deviated from the intended route, prompting Myeza to request a U-turn. The driver reportedly became agitated, and stopped the vehicle. Two armed men approached the vehicle. One pointed a gun at Myeza, while the other blindfolded and restrained him.
The assailants drove him to an undisclosed location, accessed his phone and emptied his bank account. They demanded ransom from his family and friends. The family also alleged that the kidnappers stripped Myeza, took compromising photos and videos. They also forced him to perform despicable acts.
He was released in the early hours of June 18 after the kidnappers arranged a return ride. They threatened him and his family against reporting the incident. Myeza is now safe, surrounded by family. And the case has been reported to the Umbilo police, who are investigating a kidnapping case.
KwaZulu-Natal SAPS said they are investigating the kidnapping and armed robbery, reviewing Bolt’s trip logs, CCTV footage, and phone records.
