A video showing a female e-hailing driver being robbed by three men has sparked widespread anger on social media, with the incident emerging against the backdrop of renewed calls for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa.

The video, which is circulating widely across social media platforms, appears to show the woman being confronted after responding to what had been a requested ride.

According to the footage, one of the men tells the driver that she is being robbed and instructs her not to speak or do anything. A dashcam appears to capture one of the suspects taking her cellphone and other belongings.

Despite the confrontation, the driver remains remarkably calm and responds that it is not a problem.

Her response appears to anger the suspect seated in the passenger area. A second man opens the driver’s door and searches through the vehicle.

One of the suspects then asks the woman where her other cellphone is.

“I only use one phone,” she replies calmly.

The men can then be heard swearing at her before continuing to search the vehicle. After taking her belongings, one of the suspects instructs her not to look at them. He also indicated that he did not care about the dash cam.

The woman is subsequently seen appearing overwhelmed and taking a deep breath after the men leave.

The circumstances surrounding the incident, including where and when it occurred, have not been independently established.

The accents of the men have led some social media users to speculate that they are Zimbabwean nationals. However, an accent alone cannot establish a person’s nationality, and there has been no official confirmation of the identities or citizenship of the suspects.

The incident has nevertheless fuelled an already heated debate about undocumented migration in South Africa.

One X user questioned why Zimbabweans were not helping identify the alleged perpetrators, while another said the men’s accents were “definitely” Zimbabwean.

A third user made a hostile statement against Zimbabweans and called for the termination of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP), saying the alleged suspect could cross the border before being identified.

The comments come as organisations including March and March and Operation Dudula continue to campaign against undocumented migration.

In June, March and March and allied organisations called for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa, while anti immigration demonstrations were held in several parts of the country.

Government has meanwhile intensified immigration enforcement.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration said 68,327 undocumented foreign nationals were repatriated between 14 June and 24 July 2026. Of these, 81% were Malawians, 16% Zimbabweans and 3% Mozambicans.

By 11 July, the government said 53,449 foreign nationals had been processed for deportation and repatriation, with Malawians accounting for more than 80%, followed by Zimbabweans and Mozambicans. Separate deportation figures showed 4,898 people were deported in June, including 1,929 Malawians, 1,384 Zimbabweans, 1,200 Mozambicans and 342 Lesotho nationals.

Government has also processed foreign nationals returning to countries beyond the SADC region. This included 1,159 Nigerians, 939 Ugandans and 431 Kenyans among the returns recorded by July. In June, 586 Nigerian nationals were processed for repatriation, while 300 Ghanaians were processed for return in May.

The government has stressed, however, that deportation applies to people found to be in the country unlawfully and that immigration enforcement must be conducted through the law.

The position is particularly important in relation to ZEP holders.

Home Affairs confirmed in April that there had been no change to the status of current ZEP holders. Their permits remain valid until 29 May 2027, while government conducts consultations on the future of the programme. ZEP holders do not qualify for permanent residence under the conditions of the permits.

The government has therefore distinguished between undocumented migrants and Zimbabweans who hold valid immigration status.

The robbery video has intensified public anger, but authorities have yet to confirm whether the suspects are Zimbabwean nationals, whether they are documented or undocumented, or whether any arrests have been made.