Following on from the news yesterday that a couple’s Uber driver was accosted over the weekend and threatened with a gun, another Uber passenger claims to have witnessed harassment against the taxi service.

Guest house owner Martina Laurie claims that that a colleague was prevented from getting into an Uber taxi by what she described in her original post on Facebook as Gautrain security guards.

“Karin our Guest House manager was harassed by five Gautrain security guards this morning when she tried to get into a pre-booked Uber taxi at Sandton Gautrain station,” a colleague of Laurie wrote on the I Love Greenside Facebook group.

The account further described that “The five blocked her way and restrained her from getting into the Uber Taxi. They paraded the whole front and right hand block right down to the bottom section of the Michel Angelo Hotel. They did not restrain her physically but she could not get pass them to get into Uber.”

She added that the Uber driver got unnerved  by all the commotion and drove off. The guest house manager then called another private taxi company, as she refused to use the ones parked all around the Gautrain station.

“Heavens forbid if this had happened to one of our Guests! Since reporting this, I have heard of another incident in Rosebank this morning and another one last week in Sandton. Not sure what we can do about this other than reporting it to Gautrain call center.”

In an update to her complaint, Laurie said that the Gautrain Management Agency has been in contact with her about the incident.

“Head of Gautrain security phoned and confirmen 5 men NOT Gautrain security. He is committed in jacking up security at Sandton Station. It is a Gautrain security issue as Karin was harassed on Gautrain property. Uber also made contact,” she wrote.

Uber’s suggestion to her was that drivers pick up any passengers inside the train station’s undercover parking, as the drive-thru parking is free for the first 15 minutes.

[Image – CC by 2.0/Mike]