Steenberg police rescued a 25-year-old e-hailing driver on Saturday 13 September 2026 after he was allegedly kidnapped, held for ransom and raped by two women and three men in Heathfield in Cape Town. Five suspects face charges of kidnapping, rape and extortion. Image: Supplied
Steenberg police rescued a 25-year-old e-hailing driver after two women and three men allegedly kidnapped, held for ransom and raped him in Heathfield in Cape Town. The e-hailing driver kidnapping rape Heathfield rescue happened on Saturday 13 September 2026. Furthermore, the five suspects allegedly held the driver against his will and sexually assaulted him before police tracked him down. As a result, five suspects now face serious charges including kidnapping, rape and extortion.
The suspects allegedly lured the driver to Heathfield while he was working. Once there they kidnapped him and held him for ransom. They sexually assaulted him during his ordeal. Steenberg police acted on information and tracked him down. Officers arrested all five suspects at the scene. Furthermore, SAPS confirmed the arrests and said investigators are working the case. As a result, the rescued driver is receiving support while the suspects face the courts.
E-hailing drivers across South Africa face serious safety risks on the job. They work alone, often late at night, and pick up passengers they have never met. Robberies, hijackings and violent attacks on e-hailing drivers occur across Gauteng, the Western Cape and other provinces. Kidnapping and sexual assault represent an extreme escalation of those dangers. Furthermore, industry bodies and driver groups have repeatedly called on government and e-hailing platforms to better protect drivers. As a result, this case adds urgency to those calls for stronger safety measures and faster emergency response systems.
The court expects the five suspects to appear before the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court in connection with the charges.
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