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- A 28-year-old part-time driver on an e-hailing platform was robbed and killed by passengers he was transporting over the weekend.
- Euston Mnguni was driving to raise funds to pay for his honours degree next year.
- Gauteng police said they were experiencing a hike in attacks on e-hailing vehicles.
A 28-year-old University of Johannesburg law graduate who offered his driving services on an e-hailing platform to fund his studies was gunned down by passengers he was transporting to Noordwyk in Midrand over the weekend.
Euston Mnguni, 28, was shot four times after being hijacked by clients he had picked up at Glen Austin in Midrand.
His distraught brother, Melithemba Mnguni, said he was against his brother driving on the e-hailing platform as it was a hotspot for criminal activities and a "very dangerous job for a young student".
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Melithemba is currently the general-secretary for the Gauteng e-hailing partners council and has long been advocating for safety on the different platforms.
"The fact that my brother has been killed for the very same thing I've been advocating on for years is just devastating," he said.
Melithemba added he funded his brother's law studies, while he was looking for places to do his articles.
READ | Cape Town e-hailing drivers cautioned against going into crime hot spots
"He was looking for ways to make extra money as he planned to do his honours in law next year. He first registered an account with [one e-hailing] app, but then it got blocked for reasons not known to him, but then he went behind my back and opened an account [on another e-hailing platform] and drove on there to make an extra income," he told News24.
Melithemba said his brother drove on the app for three months and never told him how he was making the extra cash.
"He knew I didn't want him on that app because of the dangers that come with it. He was always a go-getter type of man and wanted his future to be bright and successful. I'm incredibly sad that his bright future was ripped away so soon."
He recalled getting the call that changed the entire family's lives forever.
Euston's body was discovered on an open field on Friday, and the family were only notified on Sunday that their loved one was no more.
"My brother's phone was stolen, so there was no way the police could trace his body to us.
"My brother's friend received a Facebook friend request from a police detective asking if we knew Euston as they were trying to locate the family because they had news to share with us," said Melithemba.
Melithemba added the friend was initially reluctant to meet this detective because when he asked if they could meet at a nearby police station, the detective told the friend he had already gone home from work.
WATCH | E-hailing driver speeds off with customer's children, saying he feared metered taxi drivers
"Eventually, we found out he was a real detective, and he was looking for us to tell us Euston's body was found.
"This detective also told me that he was working on numerous cases where bodies of e-hailing drivers were being found around the province after being attacked by passengers. It's sickening and very sad."
Gauteng police spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo, said they were investigating the circumstances that led to Euston's death.
"Police were alerted about the shooting, and upon arrival, police found a man with gunshot wounds on the upper body.
Masondo said:
He added that the motive for the killing could not be confirmed at this stage, but an investigation was under way.
"Police are experiencing a hike in the attacks and hijackings of e-hailing vehicles and taxis in Johannesburg and are appealing to the drivers and passengers to be extra careful while the investigation and search for the suspects are under way," Masondo said.
Country manager for Bolt SA Takura Malaba said the company was in contact with the family as well as police to get more information on the incident.
"We at Bolt are deeply saddened by the tragic incident that resulted in the passing of Euston Mnguni. Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of Mnguni," Malaba said.
Bolt said crimes against ride-hailing drivers continued to be a national issue that was of great concern, and that the safety of passengers and drivers who use the Bolt platform was of "utmost importance to us".
The company said it had made emergency response facilities available to drivers on the app through an SOS button.
"Bolt drivers are covered at no cost by Bolt Trip Protection - an insurance cover that provides for emergency medical expenses, permanent disability, and death caused by an incident while on a Bolt trip," Malaba added.
"We have proactively been engaged with SAPS Midrand and will continue to provide as much information to ensure the investigation is supported fully to apprehend these criminals."
For the Mnguni family, their lives have forever been turned upside down.
"We are heartbroken. We never thought my brother would become one of the statistics to fall victim to these disgusting attacks on e-hailing drivers.
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"Euston was goal-oriented and knew he wanted to succeed in life, and to know that all his sacrifices have ended just like that is really not nice," said Melithemba.
The family is now preparing for Euston's funeral, set to take place on Sunday at Waterfall.
"His body has since been collected from the mortuary this week, and now we have the very sad task of preparing my brother's last few days on this earth. It's not something any of us were looking forward to doing," Melithemba said.
He added that the e-hailing platform and police were keeping them updated on their investigations.
The police are appealing to anyone who might have information that can help in the investigation or assist in the apprehension of the suspects to call the nearest police station, or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
