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It is not just xenophobia and the clash between Uber and local taxi operators that put Uber drivers at risk in South Africa.

It is also an alarming crime trend prevalent in certain areas of the country.

Hijackings are on the rise, according to South Africa’s crime statistics for Q1 2022/2023 presented by the South African Police Service (SAPS).

From the period between April and June 2022, a total of 5 866 hijackings were reported across the country, which averages to a car stolen every 22 minutes.

That’s a terrifying reality in which Uber drivers have to do their jobs.

Especially since they are mostly hailed in the metro areas where hijackings/carjackings are more likely to take place. Gauteng saw 3 113 cases, followed by KwaZulu-Natal (913), and the Western Cape (754).

You can consider Nyanga in the Western Cape a no-go zone for Uber drivers, as it’s the area with the highest number of hijackings (104).

Philippi East and Harare (both with 84 cases reported in the aforementioned period) are also probably off the map.

Overall, though, the 30 worst stations are dominated by Gauteng, per BusinessTech:

Image: BusinessTech

Now you know, if your journey starts or ends in these areas, that’s likely why your Uber driver cancelled the trip.

The latest SAPS latest data shows that sedans, hatchbacks, and bakkies are the most hijacked vehicle types in the country, with the prime targets primarily being luxury SUVs, according to tracking group Netstar.

Uber or not, you have to be careful when you drive in this country.

[source:businesstech]