Jim Mohlala|Published
A Cape Town mother says she and her one-year-old daughter were left terrified after a taxi driver allegedly threatened to kill her during a road rage incident on Wetton Road.
Raabiah Abrahams told IOL the incident happened at 4pm on Saturday, October 10, 2026, after she left a coffee shop.
She said the confrontation began when she refused to give way to the driver.
According to Abrahams, the man allegedly tried to knock her vehicle, sped ahead and slammed on his brakes several times while her baby was strapped inside.
Fearing for their safety, she slowed down. The driver then stopped on a bridge, blocked traffic and waited for her, she said.
Mother says taxi driver threatened to kill her
Abrahams said the driver began shouting at her in another language before switching to English.
“I will kill you,” he allegedly said, before continuing in another language.
“I unfortunately only speak English and very minimal Afrikaans,” Abrahams said.
With her child in the car, Abrahams said she had to make a split-second decision between phoning her husband and recording the incident.
Knowing he would not reach her in time, she decided to take a video as proof.
The incident happened just 1.3km from her home. Abrahams said the short distance nearly cost her and her baby their lives.
Road rage incident leaves mother afraid to drive alone
Abrahams said her daughter was “completely unaware of the situation”, but the experience had changed how she lived.
“I am now too scared to drive anywhere alone,” she said.
Abrahams added: “I now rather wait on my husband to drive me to where I need to be.”
She has not yet opened a case with the police but said she intends to do so.
She said it was “just really hard finding the time with kids and daily life”.
She also said she was “finding different routes to report the matter”.
Western Cape Mobility Department urges motorists to report road rage
The Western Cape Mobility Department urged motorists to report road rage incidents to the police.
Muneera Allie, the department’s head of communication, said road rage was a criminal offence and should be reported to the nearest South African Police Service (SAPS) station in the area where the incident occurred.
“Violent, hostile, or intimidating behaviour is classified as criminal behaviour,” Allie said.
She added: “Traffic violations such as speeding, tailgating, abrupt braking, or abrupt lane changes are traffic offenses.”
The department said the matter would not fall under the responsibility of traffic authorities.
“The investigation of road rage incidents falls under SAPS,” Allie said.
She said that “Provincial or local traffic authorities would generally only become involved if the incident resulted in a collision.”
The department advised motorists to remain calm, avoid engaging with or retaliating against other drivers, and, where safe, note details such as the vehicle registration number, location, time and nature of the incident for reporting purposes.