What was supposed to be a routine Uber ride home turned into a nightmare for Vlottenburg Primary teacher, Denusha Nicholas, who was left injured after leaping from a moving vehicle to escape what she believes was an attempted attack.
Nicholas, who teaches in Stellenbosch, had booked the e-hailing service on August 28 around 3pm to travel to her home in Stellendale, Kuils River. What followed was a series of suspicious actions by the driver that left her fearing for her life.
Suspicious Behaviour from the Start
According to Nicholas, the driver initially called to say he needed to fetch his child before collecting her. When he finally arrived at the school, she got into the vehicle but immediately noticed something unusual. Instead of heading towards her destination, the driver began travelling in the opposite direction, heading towards Eerste River.
“When I asked him why he was going that way, he didn’t answer,” Nicholas explained. “He kept driving and then moved his rear-view mirror to keep watching me.”
Sensing something was wrong, she phoned her mother, shared her live location, and prayed with her while trying to remain calm.
Locked Doors and Chilling Threats
The situation quickly escalated when Nicholas told the driver she would change her drop-off point to Zevenwacht Mall. The man claimed he didn’t understand English, then locked the vehicle doors.
“I asked why he locked the doors, and he said, ‘You are going to see what’s going to happen,’” Nicholas recalled.
Terrified, she demanded he stop the car, but instead, he continued driving. At one point, he turned in his seat to look directly at her, repeating his threats while manipulating the music volume.
“As a woman, you get a feeling when you are not safe,” she said. “I told myself I would not become another statistic.”
Jumping to Save Her Life
In desperation, Nicholas managed to unlock the door and jump from the moving car, injuring herself in the process. She said the driver even tried to grab her legs as she escaped.
Two men travelling on the opposite side of the road witnessed the ordeal and rushed to her aid. They took her to a nearby farm where she waited safely until her brother arrived to take her to hospital.
Driver’s Identity Under Question
After warning others by sharing the driver’s photo in community groups, Nicholas’s family discovered that the man who picked her up was not the registered Uber driver. Instead, it was his brother allegedly operating the account illegally.
“The face on the app was different from the person who drove me,” Nicholas explained. “We usually just check the number plate, not the driver’s face. This needs to change.”
Uber and Police Response
Uber has confirmed it is assisting police in the investigation. “We take this incident extremely seriously,” an Uber spokesperson said, adding that their Public Safety Response Team is working closely with SAPS.
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg confirmed that a case of attempted kidnapping has been opened, though no arrests have yet been made.
Authorities have urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the MySAPS app.
Meanwhile, Nicholas has shared a powerful message: “If something feels wrong, trust your instinct and cancel the ride. Your safety is more important than convenience.”
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