By Julia Moyo
A female Uber driver is being praised for remaining calm during a terrifying armed robbery in Nellmapius, a township east of Pretoria, after dashcam footage of the incident went viral on social media.
The robbery reportedly took place at around 6:45pm on May 27. The driver was transporting two male passengers when the situation suddenly turned into a robbery. Footage captured by a Cartrack dashcam shows the suspects, believed to have posed as passengers, sitting in the vehicle before one of them allegedly pulled out a firearm and demanded the driver’s belongings.
The visibly shaken driver remained calm throughout the ordeal and complied with the suspects’ demands. In the footage, one of the suspects can allegedly be heard instructing her to transfer money via Cash Send before taking her cellphone. Despite the terrifying ordeal, the woman maintained a calm composure and displayed remarkable survival instincts throughout the incident.
After the suspects left the vehicle, the driver could be heard saying “dankie neh”, a phrase many online interpreted as an expression of relief that she had not been harmed during the robbery. The video has since sparked widespread reaction online, with many South Africans commending the female driver’s quick thinking and calmness under pressure.
X user @VanDonKay wrote: “See how calmness saved her life,” adding that victims in such situations should avoid resisting armed suspects. Another user, @brianmagopa, said: “The lady’s calmness and compliance with the criminals’ demands spared her life.” Meanwhile, @mreazi_7 described the driver’s composure as “real courage”, writing: “She stayed calm, thought clearly, and survived.”
Others have called for stronger measures to protect e-hailing drivers, particularly women who often work alone and are increasingly being targeted by criminals. Community activists and social media users have also appealed to the South African Police Service (SAPS) to act swiftly, with some sharing screenshots and images believed to show the suspects involved.
At the time of publication, no arrests had been confirmed and police had not yet released an official statement regarding the incident.The robbery has once again highlighted the dangers faced by e-hailing drivers across Gauteng and the country, where incidents of hijackings, robberies and violent attacks on drivers continue to be reported.
