This is a service to which South Africans have become accustomed.
Whether you do not have a car, yours is in for repairs or you’ve had one too many to drink, e-hailing services seem like the obvious choice.
But the drivers often also have a bad reputation of theft or some kind of assault on customers.
Now the Johannesburg High Court has convicted and sentenced a Bolt driver for multiple rapes of clients.
Emmanuel Mudau (30) has been sentenced to two life imprisonment terms, plus 60 years for four counts of rape, four of kidnapping and two of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
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It was not in dispute that he was registered as a driver with Bolt and between January and February 2022, he targeted women who requested transportation from Cosmo City to various destinations, using the Bolt App.
The court heard testimonies from the four complainants, who testified that as soon as they entered Emmanuel’s car, he refused to take them to their intended destinations and took them to secluded areas where he instructed them to undress and raped them.
In two separate incidents, the complainants tried to run away, one was stabbed, and the other was strangled to succumb to his demands.
One of the complainants testified in aggravation of sentence, painting the gruesome picture of how living with the trauma and fear has become part of her life and that she believes that she will live with it for the rest of her life.
State advocate Coleen Ryan echoed her sentiments when she argued that the court should not deviate from the prescribed sentences, stating that these women have been scarred for the rest of their lives.
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The National Prosecuting Authority’s Phindi Mjonondwane says they hope that the sentence will help bring closure to the victims and their families.
“As we reflect on this outcome, our thoughts are with the complainants and their families. They suffered immeasurable pain, and the memory of this ordeal will remain irked in their minds for a lifetime. We, however, hope that they find solace in that the perpetrator has been removed from society.
“The NPA commends the commitment from Advocate Ryan and investigating officer, Sergeant Mokwai for their efforts in delivering justice. We also extend our gratitude to Court Preparation Officers, Judin Mbalati and Jennifer Sibisi for their unwavering support to the complainants, making sure that they were prepared to tell their ordeal in court,” she says.
