Media update: Attacks on Uber driver-partners are unacceptable

This incident is deeply upsetting to all of us at Uber. This driver-partner is a part of our community. We are in contact with his family and we have visited him at the hospital – our thoughts continue to be with him while we do all we can to help with the ongoing investigation to bring his attackers to justice. We are working with law enforcement officials to fully support their investigation and we have a team of former law enforcement professionals who are ready to work with and assist the police at anytime during their investigation.

There is no excuse for the violent acts described. We know that these actions do not represent the entire industry, however, this violence and intimidation against those who choose to use the Uber app must stop.

Everyone has a right to be safe, whether they’re on a train, in a cab, walking on a sidewalk or in a driver-partner’s vehicle. And while no means of transportation can be 100% incident or accident-free, technology can improve safety by creating accountability and transparency where previously there was none.

We understand that there is concern about the impact of Uber and its driver-partners on other operators’ businesses, but as we have said, we are not interested in taking away anyone’s business. Our aim is to get people to give up their own personal cars and in a world like that, there is plenty of opportunity for everyone. We have also made it known that we welcome anyone who wants to use the Uber app.

This intimidation, violence and criminal action only does a disservice to every operator in the industry. It is because of behaviour like this that so many people are turning towards using Uber (and other apps) for a safer, more reliable way to move around.

What we’re doing:
We are deeply committed to the safety of both riders and driver-partners. It’s why we have made safety features like GPS tracking (of every trip) a reality. Driver-partners have access to a 24/7 local emergency line to use in the event they feel unsafe. We have also recently partnered with multiple security response services that are able to dispatch security and medical services in emergency situations in a reduced time, in an effort to improve the safety of driver-partners who use the Uber app.

We have also made it possible for riders to share their ETA (estimated time of arrival) with their loved ones. Riders are able to check driver-partner details such as their name and picture as well as vehicle details (type, model, colour, registration).

Our Incident Response Team (IRT) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond immediately to any reported incidents or accidents globally.

In addition to our standard safety features, we have hired additional security response teams in areas where our driver-partners and riders have reported intimidation.

While we are doing all we can to assist in preventing incidents and provide assistance to driver-partners and riders, we cannot do this alone – we need more support from the authorities and policy makers to help prevent and condemn these terrible crimes.

We are now appealing for additional support from the Government and SAPS to assist in both the prevention of these crimes, as well as to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.