South African’s Pranks Nigerian Bolt Drivers
South Africans initiated a prank by booking Bolt rides in Nigeria from their own country, only to cancel them upon the drivers’ arrival, causing significant inconvenience and waste of resources for Nigerian Bolt drivers. In retaliation, Nigerians began doing the same to South African Bolt drivers, escalating the situation into a tit-for-tat conflict.
This has led to widespread disruptions for Bolt drivers in both countries, with many expressing frustration and calling for an end to the pranks. The situation highlights a broader tension between the two nations, manifesting through this unusual form of digital harassment.
Recent posts on X (formerly known as Twitter) indicate a trend where South Africans are pranking Nigerian Bolt drivers. Here’s what’s been happening:
- The Prank: South Africans are using the Bolt app to request rides in Nigeria, leading drivers to travel to the specified pick-up locations. Once the drivers arrive, the requesters cancel the ride, leaving the drivers with wasted time, fuel, and no fare.
- Reactions: This prank has stirred significant backlash on social media:
- Anger and Frustration: Many X users from Nigeria have expressed anger over this trend, pointing out the economic hardship this causes, especially with fuel being both scarce and expensive in Nigeria.
- Cultural and Economic Critique: Some posts highlight the cultural insensitivity and economic disparity at play, noting that the Nigerian currency’s weakness makes cancellation fees negligible for the pranksters but costly for the drivers.
- Call for Retaliation: There’s mention of a potential retaliation where Nigerians might start ordering rides in South Africa and doing the same, although this seems more like a frustrated response rather than an organized counter-move.
- Economic Impact: The pranks not only waste the drivers’ time but also their resources, which for many, could be a significant portion of their daily earnings.
- Platform Sentiment: The general sentiment on X is one of solidarity with the Nigerian Bolt drivers, with calls for Bolt to address this issue, possibly by implementing better verification or penalty systems for such pranks.
This trend reflects not just a prank but touches on deeper issues of economic disparity, cultural misunderstanding, and the impact of digital platforms on real-world livelihoods. However, these are sentiments and reports from X, which might not capture the full scope or the official response from Bolt or other involved parties.
