A Bolt taxi driver has been saved by cops after a passenger allegedly tried to hijack him.
Police spokesperson Captain Adriana Chandler said police had been patrolling in the Table View area when they came upon the crashed taxi.
She said the driver picked up a client in Athlone last Thursday and gave a Table View address.
In Table View, the driver became uneasy when the passenger asked if he had been hijacked or robbed and if he was wearing a seatbelt.
“The driver did not answer him. Suddenly, the client grabbed the safety belt and pulled it around the neck of the driver, telling him that he had a gun and that the driver had to take him back to Athlone, or he would be shot.”
Chandler said the driver drove down Koeberg Road and attempted to make a U-turn when cops noticed the vehicle and drove towards it.
“The Taxify (Bolt) driver lost control of the vehicle because the seatbelt was being held tight around his throat. He drove into a street light pole.”
She says the driver jumped out of a window and ran towards the cops, shouting for help.
Chandler said officers searched the suspect and found a knife on him.
The suspect was charged with assault, attempted hijacking and possession of a dangerous weapon.
Bolt did not give comment.