A harrowing Christmas Eve robbery targeting an e-hailing taxi driver in Rylands, Cape Town, has sparked outrage after dashcam footage of the incident went viral.
Ali Zaib, a 36-year-old Pakistani father of five, recounted his ordeal to the Daily Voice, expressing hope for the rehabilitation of the teenage perpetrators while urging justice to be served.
The shocking video shows four young men ambushing Zaib's vehicle. One, wielding a knife, aggressively demands money: “Djy, jou ma se p***! Where is the money?” Zaib, visibly terrified, attempts to avoid being stabbed, offering his belongings to the assailants. He hands over his phone's access code, empties his pockets, and even allows them to search his car boot.
Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town: e-hailing driver robbed.
⚠️ Language#CrimeWatch pic.twitter.com/B9rGMeWorv— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) December 26, 2024
What makes the incident even more unsettling is the ending. After the robbery, the youth in the front seat unexpectedly turns to Zaib, takes his hand and says: “[Are] you Muslim? Salaam!”
Zaib, a devout Muslim, was deeply disturbed by this unexpected gesture of apparent peace following such a violent act.
He explained: “When he turned and said ‘Salaam’ it is second nature for a Muslim to say ‘Salaam’ back… it means ‘‘Peace be upon you’. Here this boy was committing such a violent act but ending off and saying ‘Salaam’. I was shocked.”
Zaib’s account details the events leading up to the robbery. He had just finished afternoon prayers at the Habibia Mosque and received a trip request. He initially noticed only one youth standing on the road, but as he stopped, the others appeared seemingly from nowhere.
He described his reaction to seeing the knife: “Then the others just arrived and when I saw the knife my instinct was to lower his hand because I was scared he would stab me in the neck."
Zaib immediately reported the incident to Athlone Police Station, handing over the dashcam footage he had installed for safety reasons. He was surprised when the footage appeared on Facebook, revealing that people had identified some of the perpetrators, though their exact location in Hanover Park remains unknown.
He expressed his hope for their rehabilitation: “I hope Allah shows them the error of their ways but the justice system must take its course. If they are not stopped this will continue and someone will get hurt. I was very scared. I am just a father working for my children."
Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk confirmed the investigation: “According to reports the e-hailing driver received a trip request at Hadji Ebrahiem Crescent in Rylands. On his arrival a passenger entered and pointed him with a weapon, three other unidentified men entered the vehicle and took his cellphone, speed point machine and cash. No injuries sustained. No suspects has been arrested as yet.”
He urged anyone with information to contact Athlone police on 021 697 9238/39.
The incident underscores the growing concerns about safety for e-hailing drivers in the area and the broader issue of youth crime in Cape Town.
