Three dead, six injured after taxi shootings

Two taxi drivers and one commuter were shot and killed in two separate incidents yesterday morning, Monday, August 25, and left six others critically injured and hospitalised.

Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie said the motive behind the shootings is believed to be related to the ongoing taxi conflict.

The first shooting occurred just after 6am at the Vuyani taxi rank in Town Two, which is affiliated with the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (CODETA). Unknown gunmen ambushed and opened fire on drivers at the rank, killing one taxi driver and injuring others.

Approximately an hour later, a second shooting took place at the Luzuko taxi rank, associated with the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA). Six people were shot in this incident, resulting in the deaths of another taxi driver and a commuter. A schoolboy was also injured in the crossfire.

Fear among commuters was palpable when Vukani reporters arrived at both scenes. Drivers, taxi owners, and commuters appeared visibly shaken and declined to speak to the media, saying they were grateful to have escaped without any harm.

Eyewitness Thembelani Mkhuselo described the chaos and terror of the attack as "terrifying."

"We didn’t know who they were targeting. The gunmen went straight to where the taxis were parked. It was still a bit dark, and they just started shooting. That’s when we realised three taxi drivers had been hit. We ran for our lives. I couldn’t even go to work; I was too traumatised,” he said.

These violent attacks come just two days after a CODETA taxi driver was murdered at the Makhaza taxi rank in Khayelitsha, bringing the total number of people shot in three days to ten.

CODETA spokesperson Makhosandile Tumana confirmed that three of their members had been shot, with one fatality. He revealed that CODETA and the CATA Strand association had recently been embroiled in a dispute over the Khayelitsha-to-Somerset route and associated operational procedures.

“We suspect the shooting may be linked to that disagreement, but we don’t want to speculate further. We intend to get to the bottom of this,” he said.

Mr Tumana said that CODETA is not a violent organization.

“We condemn these senseless acts in the strongest possible terms. We are losing innocent lives. We are not at war with anyone,” he said, adding they were calling for peace and dialogue instead of violence.

“Negotiations and talks are the best solutions,” he said.

CATA spokesperson Nkululeko Sityebi confirmed the shooting at Luzuko taxi rank, in which one of their members and a passenger were killed. “We condemn all forms of violence in this industry. We urge anyone with information to come forward and assist the police,” he said.

Police are appealing to the public for any information. Contact Detective Captain Lukhunyo Magadla at 082 411 3245, or call Crime Stop at 08600 10111.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously via the MySAPS mobile app. All information will be treated with strict confidentiality.