Imagine a woman getting undressed in the front passenger seat in broad daylight after encountering an underwear emergency while being driven to a club in Johannesburg.
The bizarre spectacle almost caused an accident for e-hailing driver Thabang Mokatse, who operates from OR Tambo International Airport.
Mokatse responded to a request in November to transport three passengers who had arrived from Botswana.
“I picked up two ladies and a guy from the airport, it was about 4pm. They were going to a club in Sandton. Two sat at the back while one, a lady, sat in front,” he said.
“But as we were turning on Grayston Drive into Sandton, the lady in front just started taking off her clothes. She began undressing. She was wearing a bodysuit which got stuck on her underwear, and the other lady began trying to help release it.”
As the rear passenger wrestled with the bodysuit, Mokatse became distracted and explained “this could cause an accident, but they just continued. It was like the car turned into a wardrobe”.
“I had to force myself to concentrate on the road. I used my left arm to [fend] off the lady so she could not disrupt me. Fortunately I was driving an automatic because on a manual, I promise you, I would not have been able to change gears,” added Mokatse.
The front seat passenger eventually managed to change into “suitable” clothes for the club. “Her friends reprimanded her ... it was just crazy,” he said in disbelief.
Brian Sitholimela was baffled after an evening trip request in Meadowlands, Soweto. A couple emerged from a house and got into his vehicle. He dropped the woman at a nearby block of flats in Soweto.
The man promptly instructed him to drive on to a second destination where he was going to see another girlfriend in Soweto.
“I dropped the guy off at his second girlfriend. As I did a U-turn, another request came. It was the woman I had dropped earlier while I was with the guy.
I knew she was going to another boyfriend because on our way, she was talking to the guy over the phone calling him baby. It was actually a crazy night for me.
— E-hailing driver, Brian Sitholimela
“I knew she was going to another boyfriend because on our way, she was talking to the guy over the phone calling him baby. It was actually a crazy night for me. It was really something I never thought I could see in one night,” said Sitholimela.
Sbu Hlatshwayo picked up a passenger in September from a block of flats in Sandton for a trip to Soweto.
“The lady got into the car running as though she was being chased by someone. A Nigerian man was following her. As she entered the car, the man arrived, paid for her trip and told me, ‘take this girl to wherever she is going,’” said Hlatshwayo.
Hlatshwayo asked what had happened.
“She told me she was 32 years old living in White City, Soweto. She told me that her man had died during Covid and since then, she had never been in a relationship. But her younger friends told her she ... must get one.
“They advised her to join Tinder. She immediately got a match and started chatting with a guy online. As they chatted, the guy sent her R5,000. The lady then went to Maponya to do her hair. Afterwards the lady reported to the guy what she had spent the money on,” explained Hlatshwayo.
They met later that day at a restaurant in Sandton and later his house to be “intimate”.
However, upon noticing how well endowed he was, she threatened to scream, fled and ended up in his car for the journey back to Soweto.
Takura Malaba, Bolt regional manager in East and Southern Africa, recalls two other interesting trips its drivers made in 2023.
One driver got an opportunity to give President Cyril Ramaphosa a lift back home in his Bajaj after he was out jogging.
“The president enthusiastically inquired about the driver’s entry into the profession, the fuel used by the car, and its operation. He even asked if he could take a spin around the block, continually questioning the driver about his unique car,” Malaba said.
Another driver spotted unusual movements in one of his passengers’ bags. At a roadblock, he alerted the police and it turned out the passenger was transporting a pregnant pangolin, Malaba said.
While drivers are encouraged to always be courteous, there are also ground rules for riders.
“We encourage drivers to ensure that they communicate effectively and respectfully when handling such [unusual] behaviour as well as report it, should any of the passengers’ behaviour pose a risk to the driver,” Malaba said.
Riders are advised to:
- allow the driver to focus on the road; avoid engaging in distracting conversations.
- trust the driver’s navigation and avoid instructing them on routes.
- avoid arguing with the driver; if you have concerns, address them calmly and respectfully.
- don’t leave trash behind.
- don’t tamper with the car’s controls; respect the driver’s settings for temperature, music and other controls.
- avoid excessive phone calls; keep phone conversations brief and use headphones to avoid disturbing the driver.
- don’t bring open containers of alcohol as consuming alcohol during the ride is a no-no.
- refrain from requesting an illegal drop-off.
- ensure you have money to pay for the trip, do not ask to stop at an ATM along the route.
- respect the driver’s personal space and maintain a courteous attitude.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.