Lwandle taxi driver murdered, raising alarm over renewed violence in Cape Town
A taxi driver was shot and killed and two others wounded in Lwandle.
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The Western Cape government is keeping tabs on ongoing taxi killings after a minibus owner was murdered and two others wounded in Lwandle near Somerset West on Monday.
Mzukisi Zwakala, 44, was shot dead and found inside his Toyota Quantum with multiple wounds to the head and body.
The shooting incident comes shortly after the reopening of taxi routes between Khayelitsha, Mfuleni and Somerset West after a month-long shutdown due to violent clashes between rival associations Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) and Codeta (Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association).
The closure of the routes followed six fatalities linked to the disputes.
Cata spokesperson Nkululeko Sityebi confirmed that Zwakala was a member, however could not provide details of the incident.
Sityebi said: “We don’t have an idea as to what happened. The best people who would know what transpired is the investigator as we cannot assume what happened.”
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said that Lwandle police registered a murder and two counts of attempted murder following the shooting incident.
Van Wyk reported: “On Monday, October 27, at 5pm on the corner of Hlati Drive and Isikolo Street, Lwandle, a 44-year-old male was shot and fatally wounded and two others including a woman wounded.
“According to reports SAPS members attended to a complaint of a shooting incident at the mentioned address and on arrival they found a white Toyota Quantum, with the victim behind the driver’s seat with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and body.
“The injured victims were taken to a nearby medical facility for treatment.”
Western Cape Mobility spokesperson Ntobeko Mbingeleli said that Minister of Mobility Isaac Sileku has been informed of the incident, stating it is of grave concern.
Mbingeleli said: “Violence has no place in our society and the Minister condemns this callous act with the greatest degree. While we await the official report from SAPS on whether this is related to reopening the previously closed routes, we will be monitoring the situation closely.
“Should it be confirmed that this shooting is linked to the contested routes, we will take decisive steps to safeguard the lives of commuters.”
This is the second member of cata shot dead in a week after executive member, Thembelani Mzola was killed along the R300 towards Somerset West.
Cata leadership also called on police to make swift arrests, citing that their executive members were being targeted.
Makhosandile Tumana, pubic relations officer for the South African National Taxi Council SANTACO said they were not in a position to comment and couldn't speculate on the latest incident: “Yes, I can confirm that we heard about what occurred in Lwandile in Strand however we are not yet ready to comment.
Ncbe Enge Codeta, Codeta's chairperson told Cape Argus: “Unfortunately, as Codeta we know nothing about it.”
A week ago, Sityebi said they were devastated as one of their longest serving members, Mzola, was murdered, stating that their executive members are being taken out.