Cape Town — Police have made another breakthrough in the shooting of seven people, including a wheelchair-bound woman, at Cape Town station deck taxi rank on Monday.
A second suspect, aged 39, has been arrested and a firearm seized. This after a City traffic officer arrested a 31-year-old man soon after the shooting.
Police spokesperson sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said the 39-year-old would appear in court once charged.
Hours after the Cape Town shooting, five people were killed and three others injured by unidentified assailants in Nyanga.
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said: “Reports from the scene reveal that seven individuals were sitting in a taxi in Sihlanu Avenue near the Nyanga Terminus, when the gunmen approached and fired numerous shots at approximately 9.30pm. Four men between the ages of 30 and 36 died on the scene.
“Three others were taken to a medical facility after sustaining serious injury. A fifth victim died in hospital. Two other victims, who sustained injury remain in hospital."
The incidents of Monday bring the number of taxi violence-related murders in the Western Cape to 92 since the start of the calendar year, with attempted murders and injuries at 51 over the same period.
Transport MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela said: “The murder of the four Cata (Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association) members follows an incident in the Cape Town CBD yesterday during which six people were injured when gunmen opened fire at taxis at the Cape Town Station Deck and surrounding streets.
“I commend the City Metro Police and the SAPS for the quick response which led to the arrest of one of the suspected gunmen and the confiscation of one of the guns used during the incident.
“I have called an urgent meeting with the leaders of Cata, Codeta and the SA National Taxi Council’s (Santaco) Western Cape Branch to express my grave concerns with regards to their inability or unwillingness to stop the senseless violence. I will also be meeting senior officials from enforcement authorities including the SAPS, Metro Police and Traffic, as well as regulatory authorities, the Provincial Taxi Registrar and the Provincial Regulatory Entity, to plan a co-ordinated, inter-governmental response to the violence and other crimes associated with the minibus taxi industry.”
Santaco Western Cape public relations officer, Gershon Geyer said: “Santaco heard about the shootings between taxi operators on Cape Town Taxi rank. We totally condemn and act of violence in the taxi industry. We hope the perpetrators are caught and must face the full brunt of the law. There is no place for this kind of behaviour within the taxi industry.”
Cape Times