- Gauteng police are investigating the death of man who was found unresponsive in an Uber vehicle.
- Allegations are that the man had requested an Uber ride from Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg to a hotel in Rosebank.
- The hospital was unable to say whether he received treatment there.
Gauteng police are investigating the death of an Uber passenger after he was found unresponsive in an e-hailing taxi.
According to Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, the man requested an Uber ride from Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg to a hotel in Rosebank on Wednesday.
"It is alleged that on arrival at the hotel, he couldn't speak or move. The Uber driver called for help and the man was declared dead by paramedics," Masondo said.
Milpark Hospital could not confirm whether the man was a patient but spokesperson Meggan Saville said: "[The] hospital management has not been informed by the South African Police Service or anyone else of this and is unaware of such an incident."
The man has not been identified. According to police reports, he was a foreign national, but Masondo did not say which country he was from.
Tshepo Shawa, spokesperson for the Gauteng Health MEC, said the Gauteng Emergency Medical Service (EMS) received a call from the Uber driver at around 14:55 and a response vehicle was dispatched to the scene.
He said paramedics arrived on the scene at around 15:35 and found the police there.
"The person had no visible injuries, and the cause of death is unknown," Shawa added.
He said Gauteng EMS personnel, as per standard procedure, issued a declaration note to the police, who then took over the matter.
On Friday, News24 reached out to Uber to find out if the company had any record of the matter.
Uber South Africa spokesperson Mpho Sebelebele said the company started investigating the matter after the driver reported it.
He said investigations were still under way and that they would provide more details once they have more information.
"Our Law Enforcement Relations Team stands ready to support law enforcement should the police require our assistance," Sebelebele added.
He conveyed his condolences to the deceased's family for their loss and expressed sympathy towards the driver.
An inquest has been registered and investigations into the matter continue.