Durban - FIVE taxi owners have been killed in
eThekwini in recent days, sparking fears
of renewed taxi wars in the region.
The KwaZulu-Natal branch of the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) said it was concerned about increased taxi-related violence since the start of the national lockdown, during which time taxis are required to carry limited numbers of passengers.
On Monday evening, a taxi boss died shortly after arriving at Osindisweni Hospital in Verulam after being shot nine times at the Waterloo Taxi Rank in Dr Goonam (Prince Edward) Street in the CBD. The victim was shot in the abdomen and both hands.
According to Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) spokesperson Prem Balram, the man had been waiting in his vehicle at the rank when he was shot.
“It is alleged that the 38-year-old man was seated in his Toyota Corolla when unknown gunmen walked up to his vehicle and opened fire. The victim’s friend was contacted and he went to the rank. He moved the injured victim to the passenger seat and took him to Rusa offices for medical treatment.”
The man died after being taken to hospital by paramedics. A case of murder has been opened by Verulam SAPS.
On Tuesday morning a taxi owner, a member of the Umzinyathi Taxi Association, was shot and killed at the corners of Pixley KaSeme (West) and Stalwart Simelane (Stanger) streets in the CBD.
A third taxi owner was shot dead while driving along the M7 near Malvern on Monday.
Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said they were told the man was shot by men in a vehicle.
Witness reports were that he was travelling in a bakkie on the M7 towards Pinetown when he noticed a maroon Toyota Etios in front of him.
“There were three males in the Etios. The witness heard four shots being fired at the bakkie. The bakkie veered off the road into the oncoming lanes. The bakkie crashed into the barrier and came to a standstill. The Etios sped off towards Pinetown,” Mbele said.
The taxi owner was pronounced dead by paramedics and later identified as RN Cele of Umzinto.
On Sunday a taxi owner was shot dead in New Germany Road. Mbele said a murder case was being investigated in Pinetown. No arrests have been made.
According to Santaco spokesperson Sifiso Shangase, a taxi driver was shot and killed in Eshowe on Sunday.
“The past few days have seen a number of members from the taxi industry killed senselessly. This is concerning for Santaco. We request that if our members have disputes, they sort them out in a civil manner through the proper channels. Killing one another is not the solution.
“We would also like to ask anyone with information to please step forward and assist police while also pleading for people not to take the law into their own hands,” Shangase said.