Daylight bus shooting on Mthatha-Cape Town route leaves woman dead, two injured
A long-distance bus traveling from Mthatha to Cape Town was shot at in broad daylight on Wednesday, leaving one woman dead and two others injured.
The Makalala Trans bus came under gunfire at around 4.30 pm on the R61 between Cofimvaba and Engcobo in the Eastern Cape.
The co-driver and another passenger were wounded and rushed to a nearby health facility for treatment.
Eastern Cape transport MEC Xolile Nqatha condemned the attack as “barbaric and criminal”.
“We cannot allow such acts of violence to go unpunished,” he said.
“Those responsible for this heinous act must be swiftly brought to justice.
“The safety of our people and the integrity of our transport system cannot be compromised.”
Nqatha said the incident comes during the peak season for long-distance travel and may be linked to disputes in the public transport sector.
“The attack may be linked to unfair competition or turf-related disputes in the public transport sector.”
He urged law enforcement to intensify investigations and appealed to the community to provide any information that could help catch the attackers.
“The right of every citizen to use a mode of transport of their choice must be respected and protected. Violence and intimidation have no place on our roads or in our communities,” Nqatha said.
“The department sends its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased passenger and wishes the injured a speedy recovery.”
IOL News