A viral video has been making the rounds on social media in South Africa depicting a violent altercation involving multiple Mr D delivery drivers and private citizens.
The incident took place on the public holiday of Friday, 21 March, and shows delivery drivers striking two individuals outside their car in the middle of an intersection, leading to public outrage.
Piecing together what happened
The video starts when the altercation is already underway, and does not show the events that led up to the incident, including what could have provoked the drivers.
In the video, a red car appears to be parked in the middle of an intersection, with a nearby sign indicating that the event took place near Wierda Road in Centurion, Gauteng.
The car’s occupants are already out of the car when the video starts, and are being assaulted by multiple Mr D drivers all attempting to take a swing at the individuals, some of whom succeeded in landing a hit.
However, other Mr D riders are also seen trying to defuse the situation by separating the persons involved in the brawl.
The fight moves away from the car and is partially obscured by other people moving in front of the camera, but the two motorists are then seen being escorted back to their car by the intervening delivery drivers before getting in and presumably driving away.
The recorded incident quickly went viral on social media, prompting a response from Mr D’s parent company, the Takealot Group.
Responding to questions from MyBroadband, Takealot stated that the event was concerning and that it has opened an urgent investigation with the Mr D franchisee responsible for the drivers in the area.
It also shared further insights in the day’s events leading up to the altercation.
“The incident in the video occurred on Friday, 21 March 2025, in Pretoria during a funeral procession for a deceased independent contractor driver who tragically passed away following a motorcycle accident a few weeks earlier,” said the company.
“The procession was made up of fellow independent contractor drivers, escorted by law enforcement, while they were bidding farewell to their colleague, as is the norm in many parts of our country.”
The red car from the video allegedly disrupted the convoy, resulting in a minor accident that angered members of the procession, resulting in the fight that took place.
Takealot also confirmed that other independent contractor drivers at the scene attempted to diffuse the situation.
While the circumstances of the event help to contextualize the drivers’ reactions, the company made it clear that the conduct of the drivers who attempted to strike the motorists was not congruent with its policies and procedures.
“While the situation was sombre and emotionally charged, there is no excuse for any of our partners to conduct themselves in the manner displayed in the video,” said a brand representative.
Takealot has acknowledged that the nature of this incident is complex, but said that it will still engage with the local franchisee to determine an appropriate disciplinary measure.
However, the company was unable to share any further details of the case, explaining that this is an ongoing investigation that will remain confidential as per the provisions of its contracts.
Loading ...
