HEARTBREAK & CONFUSION: Uber Denies Siyanda Mthokozisi Mvelase Was Their Driver
The family of Siyanda Mthokozisi Mvelase, a 27-year-old e-hailing driver brutally killed at Maponya Mall in Soweto last week, is reeling from both grief and disbelief after Uber stated it has no record of him working as a driver on its platform. Mvelase was shot and his vehicle set ablaze on the evening of Wednesday, August 13, in a violent attack that has left the e-hailing community shaken.
In a statement, Uber expressed deep sorrow over the incident but confirmed that the drivers involved were not registered on its platform. “This incident is beyond tragic, and our thoughts are with all those affected during this incredibly difficult time,” the company said. “While the drivers affected have been confirmed not to be registered on the Uber platform, the safety of every driver and rider using any e-hailing service should always be a priority, and it is something we take very seriously at Uber.”
Uber noted that its Public Safety Liaison team, composed of former law enforcement professionals, was dispatched to assist authorities with the investigation. The company also temporarily paused services in the area to ensure the safety of drivers and riders on its platform and pledged to work with industry stakeholders to enhance safety in the e-hailing sector.
However, Mvelase’s aunt, Zanele Khuzwayo, expressed shock at Uber’s claim. “Is it?” she said in an interview with IOL News on Monday. “We don’t know what they are talking about, because he started working as an Uber driver on Monday.” According to Khuzwayo, Mvelase had only begun working as an e-hailing driver two days before his death, having recently returned to Johannesburg from KwaZulu-Natal to pursue better opportunities.
“He was so excited,” Khuzwayo recalled. “He got the car two weeks ago and started working on Monday. Then, by Wednesday night, we got the news.” Mvelase, born in 1998, was the only child of his mother, a sickly woman he hoped to support. “He wanted to make a living and take care of his mother,” Khuzwayo said. “He had so many plans, and they were all cut short.”
The attack occurred when unknown gunmen targeted e-hailing drivers outside Maponya Mall. Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi reported that four men approached a vehicle at the mall’s entrance, opened fire on the driver, and set the car alight. A second nearby vehicle was also shot at and torched, though its driver managed to escape. A passer-by and the second driver sustained gunshot wounds and were hospitalized. Police have opened a case of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and arson for investigation.
The family is now grappling with both emotional and financial burdens. Mvelase’s mother, Khonzi Khuzwayo, was hospitalized after her health deteriorated from overwhelming grief. “What is more dreadful is that we have been told he was burnt to ashes. They only recovered his shinbone,” said Mlamuli Khuzwayo, a family member. “Maybe we would have found closure if they could have at least spared<long his body after shooting him. Currently, we have no money for burial. We have nothing.”
The family is awaiting DNA results to confirm Mvelase’s identity before making funeral arrangements, as his remains were severely damaged in the fire. They have also appealed for financial assistance to cover burial costs and repatriate his remains to KwaZulu-Natal.
In a show of support, the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has stepped in to assist the family, and KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Social Development Mbali Shinga is expected to visit them in the Nhlungwane area of Ulundi on Monday.
