SIYABONGA SITHOLE
The police have opened a murder docket following the shooting of a taxi driver on Klipsruit Valley Road between Orlando West and Orlando East in Soweto on Tuesday morning.
Police spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza confirmed the incident involving a 26-year-old taxi driver who was shot dead at the intersection between Klipsruit Valley Road, Kumalo and Martha Louw streets in Orlando West, Soweto, on Tuesday morning.
Kweza said the motive for the killing was unknown at this moment, but it was suspected that this incident was due to taxi violence.
“Police can confirm that a man was shot dead in Orlando, Soweto, on Tuesday morning on Klipsruit Valley Road. Police have opened a murder docket and are investigating the incident. At the moment there have been no arrests that have been made following this shooting,” Kweza said.
Members of the JMPD cordoned off the road and redirected traffic into Mooki Street in Orlando East and Kumalo streets in Orlando West as they tried to collect evidence on the scene.
A family member who spoke on condition of anonymity said the victim of this mysterious shooting was one of the taxi drivers for the family taxi business.
“This person who was shot dead today was working for the family taxi business and he had just joined the family as one of the drivers just four days ago. We are not sure what could be the reason for this shooting. The family is also shocked about this shooting incident,” the family member said.
Speaking to this newspaper, JMPD police spokesperson Xolani Fihla said the shooting could be related to taxi violence, which only the police would be able to confirm as they had only come to the scene to redirect traffic and help manage the situation.