Taxi wars escalate despite peace summit promises

Three people were killed and six others wounded in two taxi rival shootings on Monday, sparking a wave of fear among commuters who rely on public transport for their daily journeys.

Despite a peace summit held recently, taxi watchdogs and bodies said they were puzzled by the latest shootings as rivalry and war were locked between the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) and Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (CODETA) in Somerset West and Strand, which previously saw road closures, a driver killed and an 8-year-old boy wounded.

Provincial detectives of the Serious and Violent Crimes Taxi Unit is probing the shooting that took place at the taxi rank in Ngqwangi Drive, Philippi-East on Monday, where six people were shot between the ages of 35 and 43, with two dead and four wounded, three of whom are taxi drivers and another a passenger.

Police spokesperson, Malcolm Pojie, said: “Information reveals that on August 25 at 7:30am, unknown armed men opened fire and shot six adults between the ages 35 and 43 of which one succumbed to gunshot wounds on the scene and another was declared deceased at the hospital. Four injured men were transported to a medical facility of which three taxi drivers were in a critical condition and a passenger in a stable condition.”

A second shooting occurred at Vuyani taxi rank in Khayelitsha, where two gunmen opened fire, killing a driver and wounding two other drivers.

The shooting comes just days after a 28-year-old man appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court following the fatal shooting of a Kensington taxi driver in his own vehicle and the wounding of three passengers on August 15.

The City’s mayco member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, called for calm and for commuter safety to be prioritised.

“The City of Cape Town is concerned about the recent escalation of violence between CATA and CODETA in the Somerset West, Lwandle, and wider Helderberg areas,” he said.

“This escalation in violence is profoundly disappointing, especially in light of the commitments made by all parties during the peace summit convened earlier this month."

He said a meeting between CATA and CODETA leadership was planned on Monday but did not take place due to safety concerns.

Nkululeko Sityebi, public relations officer for CATA, said: “On August 4, we had a peace summit, important issues were raised and identified which were the root cause and an action plan placed and everyone was on board. As leadership of CATA,  the situation must calm down, where CATA and CODETA have indifference, these are issues which can be handled without killings.”

CODETA did not respond to queries on Monday.

Thembelani Nodume, of the Makhaza Community Policing Forum (CPF) in Khayelitsha, said the gunmen were unknown.

Makhosandile Tumana, public relations officer for the SA National Taxi Council (SANTACO) said they were puzzled by the latest shootings.

"We are still confused as to what is happening because if there was a conflict between CATA and CODETA in Somerset, why is the shootings happening there now?

Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel.

Cape Argus