Concerns About Uber For Teens Feature

Rachel Kolisi, the former partner of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, recently received some caution regarding her promotion of Uber’s new “Uber For Teens” feature.

This came after media personality Anele Mdoda accused her Uber driver of making threats of rape during a ride.

Rachel, who is a mother to two children—Nic and Keziah—and acts as a mother figure to Siya’s younger siblings, Liyema and Liphelo, had been advocating for the feature, which is designed to offer more safety for teens using the app.

Uber For Teens: What’s the Deal?

Late last year, Rachel Kolisi posted a paid partnership ad supporting the Uber For Teens service.

This feature is aimed at teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 and comes with added safety features like live tracking, Ride Checks, and even audio recordings during trips.

Uber claims that only highly-rated drivers who pass background checks are eligible for this service.

In the promo, Rachel shared, “I know my teens are where they need to be,” but not everyone shared her confidence.

Safety Concerns From the Public

While Rachel’s endorsement was well-intentioned, the comments on her post showed a different story.

Many people voiced concerns about the safety of putting their children in an Uber, especially given the rising number of assault cases involving women and young people worldwide.

One commenter, @rosematlala_, said, “Won’t use that option.

Don’t want to attract danger for my child,” while others echoed similar sentiments, fearing the risks associated with using such services for their teens.

Anele Mdoda’s Shocking Experience

In another concerning incident, media personality Anele Mdoda shared a horrifying experience with her Uber driver.

She claimed that the driver made threats of rape during a ride on Sunday evening.

Anele, who had requested the “no talking” option in the ride, said the driver’s anger escalated into threats, prompting her to file criminal charges against him.

Uber has reportedly reached out to Anele and is taking the matter seriously, with the police now involved in the investigation.

She’s also received support from the anti-gender-based violence (GBV) group, Women For Change, who have expressed their horror at the situation.

Women For Change Supports Victims

Women For Change has strongly backed Anele’s claims and highlighted the disturbing reality that women often face during e-hailing rides.

They shared their findings from a survey they conducted last year, where 73% of respondents revealed that they didn’t feel safe using services like Uber and Bolt.

This statistic paints a troubling picture of the daily fears women endure when using public transport.

The organization has called for greater action from authorities, including declaring GBV a national disaster, and is actively pushing for change with a petition to protect women’s safety.

Your Thoughts: Do You Feel Safe in an Uber?

With incidents like these making headlines, many are left questioning the safety of using Uber, especially for vulnerable groups like teenagers.

What do you think—do you feel safe taking an Uber? Let us know in the comments.