TAXI organisations are seeking answers after three people belonging to different taxi associations were gunned down yesterday morning at a taxi rank in Delft.
Shots were fired around 6.15am at the Voorbrug taxi rank as commuters were making their way to work, when a Toyota Quantum pulled up and the occupants opened fire.
A 55-year-old and a 58-year-old man were declared deceased on the scene, and a third victim, aged 38, succumbed to his injuries after being transported to a medical facility.
One victim belonged to the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta), and another victim was a taxi owner who belonged to the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA).
One commuter who was still shaken by the ordeal explained her experience.
“I was on my way to the taxi rank when I heard shots going off. I arrived at the scene a few minutes later. I don’t know what exactly happened; it happened so fast, but when I arrived, I just saw the two bodies lying on the pavement.
“Imagine if I had left my house a bit earlier, I could’ve walked into those bullets. When is all of this going to end?,” she asked.
Cata and Codeta officials said they do not know the cause of the shooting.
Cata secretary Nkululeko Sityebi said that the taxi owner belonging to Cata was on the Wynberg/Claremont route, at the loading point at Voorbrug Taxi rank.
“One of the victims belonged to Cata; he was a taxi owner. We have no idea what happened because Cata not only had fatality but also Codeta as well. We do not know why and cannot pinpoint it to anything because another taxi organisation is involved.”
Codeta chairperson Nceba Enge echoed the same sentiments.
Police spokesperson Andrè Traut confirmed that Detectives attached to the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime are investigating the triple murder.
Traut reported: “Western Cape police are investigating three counts of murder following a shooting incident at a taxi rank in Delft on Thursday morning.
“Detectives attached to the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime unit have taken over the investigation and are probing three counts of murder. The motive for the attack is believed to be possibly related to the taxi industry.”
Anyone with information on the incident is urged to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or alternatively make use of the MySAPS mobile application.
Cape Times
