In a strong rebuttal to claims that popular Durban influencer Simthande Myeza was abducted while using their platform, Bolt has issued a statement defending its reputation amidst growing public concern over safety in the e-hailing industry.

The statement comes on the heels of a distressing incident reported by Myeza’s family, who allege that he was kidnapped on the night of June 17 in the Umbilo area of Durban.

“Based on the available data, we can confirm that the incident described did not occur during a Bolt trip,” asserted Lerato Motsoeneng, Senior General Manager of Bolt South Africa.

“We also have strong reasons to believe that the drivers who took trips from locations relevant to the incident had nothing to do with it.”

Bolt’s response came amid a surge of public unease regarding the safety protocols employed by e-hailing services.

Following the reported incident, the platform launched an internal investigation to identify any possible connections between its services and the alleged abduction.

Motsoeneng explained that, according to Bolt’s verified trip data, Myeza requested a ride at 3pm on the day of the incident.

The company emphasised that its algorithm matches riders and drivers in real time without any prior knowledge of the rider’s identity.

The ride was completed, and the drop-off point was approximately 114 metres from Myeza’s originally requested location, a variance that is considered acceptable due to GPS accuracy.

Furthermore, the records indicate that Myeza did not engage in any Bolt trip activity later that evening, despite his claims of being taken at around 8pm.

Instead, a different driver, unrelated to the initial trip, was matched to a return journey ordered from a separate account, reinforcing Bolt’s assertion that the incident was not associated with their platform.

“We have officially shared all our findings with the relevant authorities and are committed to fully cooperating with them,” Motsoeneng continued.

“Our safety and operations teams continue to support law enforcement by providing all relevant trip data, maintaining secure and tamper-proof records.”

Moreover, Bolt stated that should the investigation reveal any slanderous claims against the company, it would contemplate legal action.

In light of the situation, Bolt has been in contact with Myeza to facilitate further inquiries, aiming to address any lingering concerns surrounding the safety of their service.

As the investigation progresses, Bolt remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring user safety, asserting that the well-being of its community is paramount.

The platform has reiterated its ongoing engagement with law enforcement in a bid to uphold the trust placed in it by its users.

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