Taxi violence Two taxis were shot at on the R300 recently. Another two have been killed in separate Khayelitsha shootings, with three passengers and a woman wounded. Commuters say they fear for their lives as the taxi violence continues.
Two taxi drivers have been shot dead in separate incidents in Khayelitsha, while three passengers and a driver’s wife were wounded, as commuters caught up in Cape Town’s taxi violence say they fear they may not make it home from work.
The shootings happened on Tuesday, 10 November, amid an ongoing route dispute involving rival taxi associations CATA and CODETA. Commuters say they have little choice but to continue using taxis despite fears for their safety.
The first attack took place on Pama Road in Site B, where a taxi driver was offloading passengers when gunmen opened his door and fired at him.
Police spokesperson Constable Ndakhe Gwala confirmed that Lingelethu West police had opened a murder case and three counts of attempted murder.
“According to reports, the deceased was a taxi driver and at the time of the incident, he was offloading passengers. Unknown suspects opened the door of his motor vehicle and shot him multiple times,” Gwala said.
“He was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel. Three passengers sustained gunshot wounds during the attack and were rushed to a medical facility for treatment. The motive for the shooting is taxi violence related.”
Later that night, at about 10.30pm, a 39-year-old taxi driver was shot dead inside his home on Ntlazana Road in Harare.
His wife was wounded in her left arm and taken to hospital. Gwala confirmed that no arrests had been made.
Commuters fear they will not make it home
A single mother from Delft, who survived two separate taxi-related shootings in October, said she was haunted by the fear of not making it home to her three young children and grandchild.
“I took the taxi at Palm taxi rank and had to run for my life when that people started shooting. It was very hectic and traumatising. The next day, there was another shooting on the R300. I was in a taxi at the time when we had to turn around because they just shot on two taxis,” she said.
“I am a single parent and have no other choice but to go to work. I have such fear when sitting in a taxi, fearing if I will make it home to my babies.”
Another commuter described her shock after learning that her regular work transport driver had been killed at Bellville taxi rank on Sunday.
“He was our work transport driver and such a cool guy. I was not aware that he was shot until I got to work... I was so shocked that I broke down in tears,” she said.
SANTACO steps in amid continued taxi violence
SANTACO Western Cape spokesperson Makhosandile Tumana said the provincial body had decided not to engage with the media until it reached a conclusion.
The national leadership of the South African National Taxi Council has since stepped in to mediate the dispute between CATA and CODETA.
SANTACO has said it will not rush negotiations in its search for a lasting solution to the violence.
The latest shootings come amid continued efforts to resolve the conflict between the rival associations, which have been involved in a series of deadly incidents and disruptions affecting commuters.
Taxi violence Two taxis were shot at on the R300 recently. Another two have been killed in separate Khayelitsha shootings, with three passengers and a woman wounded. Commuters say they fear for their lives as the taxi violence continues.