DURBAN – AN UBER driver who was implicated in nefarious activities while on duty received a heavy jail sentence for acting in “common purpose” with a syndicate specialising in home invasions.
Zamani Lloyd Blose, 33, of Lamontville, Durban, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment last week for his involvement in two housebreaking incidents committed in August last year.
Members of Blose’s gang, as they were making their getaway, shot at the men at a home in Westville which they had raided.
The residents returned fire and two gang members were shot and killed, while a third member fled.
Blose, who was responsible for transporting the gang in the same vehicle he used for Uber rides, sustained serious gunshot wounds and was unable to make a getaway.
He was arrested and charged for murder, attempted murder, robbery and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Regarding Blose’s conviction and sentencing, Uber spokesperson Nicola Honey said they needed more time to confirm whether he was registered on their platform before they could provide feedback.
Blose entered into a Section 105A plea agreement with the State, which was represented by senior advocate Krishen Shah.
On August 5, he was hired by a man named Thabiso to drive him and his friends to Northdene.
During the journey, Blose realised they were going to commit a robbery as they had masks, gloves and, he assumed, weapons.
At some point, he stopped the vehicle so that one of the men in the group could change the car’s number plate to avoid detection.
He was directed to a home on Parkhill Road that had lax security and an open driveway gate.
One of the gang members told him it was an “easy job” and he received R800 for his efforts.
A week later, Blose was contacted by the gang about another job in Westville. He noticed one of them was in possession of a gun.
On this occasion, Blose joined the others when they broke into the Grace Avenue home. He was handed a knife before their entry.
They took two cellphones and a R50 note and encountered an old female, who shouted at them.
She was pushed to the ground. Another younger female appeared and screamed before locking herself in a room. One of the gang members kicked open the door and entered, with Blose.
While the other robber assaulted the female and pulled her out of the room, Blose grabbed a tablet device.
By then, two male family members appeared from the lower level of the house and pointed their guns at the robbers, who then fled.
Blose said he noticed a gang member named “Mapitso”, who was positioned at their VW, produce a firearm and an exchange of gunfire followed.
Two gang members were killed during the shoot-out and Mapitso fled the scene.
In making his plea, Blose admitted that he acted “willfully and in common purpose” with the others to commit the various offences, knowing that his actions were “wrongful”.
Meanwhile, a group of four Gauteng men, which included an Uber driver, who allegedly raped riders, also cast the service in a negative light.
The four women who were allegedly gang-raped by their Uber driver and his accomplices were charged and the victims also raised civil claims against Uber in 2019.
Attorney Ulrich Roux, who represented the victims, said: “The accused are still in custody and the state has just closed its case. We are confident there will be conviction. On the civil side, we have issued summons and have served on Uber and it is an ongoing matter.”
In attempting to give their riders greater peace of mind during trips, Uber have upgraded their safety offerings with features like; Real Time ID Check, Trusted Contacts, In-app Emergency Button and 24/7 phone support.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE
Credit IOL