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Report: Uber driver succumbs to fire injuries after being attacked

[UPDATE: Uber has confirmed the driver’s death and issued a statement. Below are extracts from it:

It is with a great sadness that we confirm that one of our driver-partners has passed away after a brutal attack in Pretoria on the weekend of 10 June 2017 [see initial email below]. He was attacked by a small group of unknown individuals and his car was set alight while he was in the vehicle, leading to him sustaining serious injuries.

This incident is deeply upsetting to all of us at Uber. This driver-partner is a part of our community. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.

We have a team of former law enforcement professionals who are working with the Police to support their investigation.

An Uber driver who was seriously injured when his vehicle was set alight in Pretoria last month, has succumbed to his injuries.

According to a report by eNCA, Lindelani Mashau was in his car when he was approached by unknown men who attacked him and set his car alight outside Loftus Versveld in Pretoria late last month.

He was rushed to a hospital where he was admitted and treated for his injuries, but according to the Uber Drivers’ Movement, a collective of drivers, Mashau passed this morning.

It was not confirmed who was behind the attack.

Driver’s safety of concern to Uber

Although htxt.africa sent questions on this matter to Uber this morning, the company did not address answer them directly, but instead commented on on-going reports of attacks and intimidation of Uber drivers by metered taxi drivers at Gautrain stations.

“We are aware of the intimidation against driver-partners and riders at the Gautrain Stations across Gauteng. We have private security on site monitoring and managing the situation as best as possible, to ensure reliable pickup and drops off,” Uber Africa spokesperson, Samantha Allenberg said.

“Using violence and intimidation to limit consumer choice is unacceptable to us, to anyone for that matter. We have requested an urgent meeting with the Police Minister and the Minister of Transport to resolve this situation and we are still waiting for their response,” she said.

Allenberg said that while Uber tries all it can to ensure drivers’ safety, it can’t do it alone and will need to work together with government and security entities to do this.

“We will continue to provide additional security measures around the stations, however Uber is not a security company and we need Law Enforcement and the Police Minister to get involved and help solve the issue as soon as possible.”

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