Uber Statement on Johannesburg:

First and foremost our thoughts continue to be with the riders and their families, with whom we’ve been in contact from the start. We are grateful to police for their work to bring these two individuals to justice, one who was a former driver-partner.

This individual’s arrest is the result of an investigation involving close collaboration between Uber and local law enforcement. Because of the ongoing police investigation, we are limited in what we can say.

Prior to this individual’s deactivation and arrest, he held a valid Professional Driver’s Permit and he cleared all background checks - there was no evidence of a prior criminal record. Driver-partners wanting to use the Uber app must undergo a pre-screening process, which includes a criminal background check, before their driver profile is activated.

At no time leading up to the attacks was the suspect's profile matched to provide Uber rides to any of the victims. As soon as there was any suspicion he may be involved in the incidents, as a precaution, his account and access to the platform was blocked.

When we identified the suspect after an internal investigation, we notified the police immediately. It is our standard practice to immediately suspend any individual who may be involved in suspicious activity pending further internal and/or police investigation.

If there is any consolation after these terrible crimes it is that our technology, which includes the tracking and recording of every minute and meter taken using Uber, was useful in part of the evidence which led to this arrest.

We have a dedicated incident response team, GPS-tracking and many other technology advances to improve safety before, during and after the ride. It’s important to remember the following tips to use Uber safely:

- Please remember to always check and confirm all driver and vehicle details before getting into a vehicle, even if the driver claims to be your Uber ride.

- Riders should also make use of the technology in the app that allows them to share their driver and vehicle details and their estimated time of arrival with a family or friend.

- Law enforcement should always be the first point of contact in the event of an incident.

For more information on safety during an Uber trip, please refer to our blog here.

Statement issued by Samantha Allenberg, Uber Africa Spokesperson, 12 September 2016