AFPOn-line taxi agency Bolt has restricted “inter-country” requests between Nigeria and South Africa after the 2 nations’ social media rivalry reached an all-time excessive – or low – with individuals reserving after which cancelling rides within the different nation as a prank.
The drivers have been pawns on this malicious recreation as they have been despatched on a wild goose chase to search out passengers who weren’t even in the identical nation.
Munyaradzi Chinyama, a Zimbabwean Bolt driver primarily based in Cape City, instructed the BBC he acquired three journey requests earlier than he realised they weren’t real. He mentioned he wasted lots of gasoline, money and time.
Bolt instructed the BBC it had recognized and blocked customers collaborating on this merciless recreation.
“We perceive the impression this case has had on our driver-partners in Nigeria and South Africa,” it mentioned in an announcement.
It mentioned inter-country requests would nonetheless work between different nations.
Mr Chinyama instructed the BBC he had been inundated with insulting messages via the Bolt messaging characteristic that connects drivers with passengers.
He mentioned he was referred to as varied names, together with “Mandela’s son”.
It’s unclear how this “Bolt battle” began however social media customers in sub-Saharan Africa’s two largest economies have an extended historical past of trolling one another.
“Once I’m bored, I request [Bolt] in Nigeria, akere their brothers are disrespecting us,” one consumer mentioned on X on Tuesday. This appears to have set off the chain of occasions and Nigerians swiftly retaliated.
A disgruntled Nigerian driver primarily based in Kano instructed the BBC he acquired an order for an airport journey from a world quantity however the individual did not present up.
“I attempted calling and calling however they did not reply. Then they cancelled the journey,” he mentioned.
He mentioned he wasn’t the one sufferer. A lot of his colleagues confronted comparable points.
Some social media customers rallied behind the drivers, saying they have been simply making an attempt to make a dwelling.
“Uber and Bolt drivers are simply making an attempt to make ends meet. They aren’t on twitter trolling anybody. They’re actually making an attempt to earn an trustworthy dwelling. Please go away them alone. And that i’m speaking to each side,” one X consumer wrote.
A second individual mentioned: “The bolt problem is paining me as a result of it’s harmless and hardworking individuals on each side which are struggling for the wickedness and thoughtlessness of different individuals. Actually unfair.”
In Nigeria gasoline costs have rocketed in latest months. Many drivers would have wasted scarce gasoline selecting up non-existent prospects.
The “Bolt-war” additionally reportedly precipitated costs to surge in each nations, leaving many individuals stranded as they could not afford to pay for his or her rides.
South Africans and Nigerians usually lock horns on social media.
They rowed most not too long ago over the Miss South Africa controversy which noticed a half-Nigerian contestant step down following xenophobic abuse.
The 2 African heavyweights have additionally pitted their popstars Tyla and Arya Starr towards each other and exchanged insults over their national football teams.
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Getty Pictures/BBC
