IN JUST five days, nine drivers have been killed and six injured in the ongoing taxi-related violence in the province. 

While the root cause of the most recent conflict between Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) and Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) remains unclear, two more drivers taxi drivers were killed and three other people were wounded in separate shootings in Strand and Macassar on Tuesday, just hours apart, in what police believe were unrelated incidents.

The drivers from the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) were gunned down at a pick-up point on Mandela Drive in Macassar.

Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said provincial detectives from the Serious and Violent Crimes, Taxi Unit were probing the circumstances leading to the shooting which also left two bystanders wounded. 

Pojie said preliminary findings indicated that the shooters deliberately targeted the drivers. 

“Preliminary information reveals that unknown armed men approached the taxi pick-up point, opened fire, and fatally shot and killed two males. Two bystanders were caught in the crossfire and sustained gunshot wounds to the body. They were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.”

He confirmed that the motive for the shooting was believed to be taxi-conflict related. 

“The suspects fled the scene in an unknown getaway vehicle and are yet to be arrested,” Pojie added.

That incident was after a shooting  in Strand, where a 35-year-old woman transporting schoolchildren was ambushed on Onverwacht Road.

According to witnesses, she was shot in the face and chest as young children sat in the vehicle.

Community members described being startled by the sudden gunfire.

“We didn’t see who shot at the taxi, but when we went outside to look, we saw the woman and the children were visibly shocked. A car came to take the victim to the hospital,” one resident said.

Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said officers were called to the scene and found the wounded woman still sitting in her Toyota Quantum.

“According to our information, Lwandle police officers responded to the complaint of a shooting incident in progress. They left the office and drove to Onverwacht Street, where they found the Toyota Quantum. Upon further inspection, they found a female aged 35 who was still sitting inside the vehicle. She was disoriented, owing to the gunshot wounds that she sustained. She was then transported to the nearby hospital. The suspects fled the scene. We have registered an attempted murder case.”

Swartbooi said that the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident.

“At this stage, there is no indication that this attack is linked to taxi violence. Our investigation is focused on the circumstances surrounding this specific case,” he said.

Cata spokesperson Nkululeko Sityebi has called for calm, saying: “We are saddened to have lost two of our members on Tuesday morning in Macassar. We would like to send our deepest condolences to their families and ask the law enforcement to leave no stone unturned, and hope that they will make an arrest soon.”

Police Oversight and Community Safety  MEC Anroux Marais said:  “Such acts of terror have no place in our communities and only serve to spread fear, instability, and suffering among innocent residents. The perpetrators of these heinous crimes must be brought to book. I urge anyone with information to come forward and assist the South African Police Service (SAPS) in their investigations. Your cooperation could be the key to holding those responsible to account and restoring peace.”

Her Mobility counterpart Isaac Sileku said the provincial government will not tolerate the collapse of peace efforts in the taxi industry.

“The safety of commuters, operators, and the broader public is non-negotiable. At the recent Taxi Peace Summit, SANTACO Western Cape and its eight regional structures committed to prioritising peace, stability, and the safety of commuters.

“The current escalation of tensions between CATA and CODETA, the two largest taxi groupings in this province, and the violence that followed, shows that some in the industry are acting in bad faith and undermining the commitments they made to the government and to the people of the Western Cape. This violence is nothing less than an attack on innocent commuters, and those who choose conflict over peace will face the full force of the law.”

Cape Times

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