Cape Town - The ceasefire agreement in the Western Cape taxi industry seems to have been short-lived after two drivers were shot and killed, in separate incidents, at the weekend.
An e-hailing driver, also believed to be a State attorney, was also shot dead, however, it is not clear if the incident is taxi-related.
Harare police are investigating murder case, after a 55-year-old man was shot dead at about 8.15pm on Saturday, while driving in Nkanini, Khayelitsha.
Police spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk said: “According to reports, the deceased was driving a taxi at Ntlazane Road, when he was shot at by the occupants of an unidentified vehicle, fatally wounding him. The possibility that it may be related to taxi violence will be investigated. The unknown suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested.”
On the same day, in Ceres, a 41-year-old taxi driver was shot and killed at about 8.25pm in Phumla Street, Nduli.
Van Wyk said when police officers arrived at the scene, they found the body of the man laying on the ground, with two gunshot wounds.
In Kleinvlei, an e-hailing driver in his thirties was shot dead in Stadenberg Street, Palm Park, allegedly by unknown suspects – who fled the scene and are yet to be arrested.
This weekend's shootings increased the taxi-related murders to about 85 this year, with 26 people killed in July alone.
The impasse between the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) and the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta), about a route to Paarl, even had political leader Bantu Holomisa and South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) head Zwelinzima Vavi roped in to assist.
Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula and provincial MEC Daylin Mitchell have also tried to assist to put an end to the conflict that has affected thousands of people, including pupils.
Parents from different communities, including Nyanga, staged a demonstration on Sunday, calling for the taxi industry to stop intimidating scholar transport drivers and to allow them to operate in peace, after they suspended operations last week.
Late on Sunday, SA Scholar Transporters Association provincial chairperson Simphiwe Bathembu said, after parents demonstrated and begged for their return, operations will resume on Monday.
Codeta spokesperson Andile Khanyi said they were shocked by the two shooting incidents that happened a few days after a ceasefire was agreed on, and called on police to leave no stone unturned.
“I can confirm that the drivers are Codeta members. We really don’t understand what is happening now and we are calling for the police to leave no stone unturned. There might be a possible third force because, the whole week, things have been calm – hence our affiliates resumed operations,” said Khanyi.
Cata secretary Mandla Hermanus said they were not even aware of the shooting incidents until late on Sunday.
“Engagements with Mr Holomisa and Mr Vavi have seen developments. Both parties also briefly met with Minister Mbalula yesterday where engagements continued, so I was surprised to hear from the media that there had been shootings.
“We are trying to end the impasse, but it seems there are people who are trying to create conflict and don’t want stability back in the taxi industry.
“Now we have to start thinking about who really stands to benefit if the instability continues. We hope to see an arrest made soon,” said Hermanus.
Cape Times
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