Stellenbosch Teacher Escapes Alleged Uber Attack by Jumping from Moving Car

A primary school teacher in Stellenbosch says she was forced to jump from a moving Uber after the driver allegedly locked the doors, ignored her pleas, and threatened her.

The Ride That Turned Dangerous

On 28 August, Denusha Nicholas, a teacher at Vlottenburg Primary, booked an Uber at around 3pm to take her home to Stellendale, Kuils River.

According to Nicholas, the driver called to say he first needed to fetch his child before collecting her. He later arrived and picked her up outside the school.

But instead of heading toward her home, the driver allegedly drove in the opposite direction, towards Eersteriver.

“I asked him why, but he didn’t answer,” Nicholas recalled. “He kept watching me through the rearview mirror. That’s when I phoned my mother, told her I didn’t feel safe, and shared my live location with her.”

Locked Doors and Threats

When Nicholas told the driver she would change her trip to Zevenwacht Mall, he allegedly pretended not to understand English.

She says he then locked the doors.

“I asked him why he was locking the doors. He said, ‘you are going to see what’s going to happen’. Then he turned around to look at me. I asked him to stop the car, but he refused.”

Nicholas says she managed to unlock the doors but the driver relocked them. At one point, she says, he tried pulling her legs when she attempted to escape.

“With the way he kept looking at me and locking the doors, I knew I had to get out. I told myself I would not be another statistic. I prayed for calm and jumped from the car.”

Bystanders Intervened

Two men driving on the opposite side of the road witnessed Nicholas leaping from the vehicle and came to her aid.

She said she felt something knocking against her back seat before she escaped and feared there might have been someone else in the car.

Safety Concerns Around Ride-Hailing

The incident adds to growing concerns around Uber safety in South Africa, where riders, particularly women, have reported feeling vulnerable.

Uber has yet to issue a statement on this specific case, but rider safety and driver vetting continue to be under scrutiny in the country.

{Source: IOL}

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