The ongoing taxi violence plaguing Cape Town has escalated further, with yet another driver being shot and wounded in Lwandle on Tuesday evening. The incident unfolded just hours before a scheduled task team meeting aimed at addressing the deepening conflict.
This latest act of violence is part of a broader, simmering feud between two rival taxi organisations: the Cape Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta) and the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata), who are locked in a bitter dispute over routes.
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that officers from Lwandle are currently investigating the incident, which is being treated as a case of attempted murder.
“This office can confirm that a case of attempted murder was registered at Lwandle police following a shooting incident last night at about 6.32pm at Richmond Street, Nomzamo,”
Van Wyk stated.
According to police accounts, the 62-year-old victim had just arrived at the address on Richmond Street when he was ambushed by an unknown number of suspects. The assailants opened fire before fleeing the scene.
“According to reports the 62-year-old male was arriving at the mentioned address when he was approached by unidentified suspect/s who shot him and fled the scene. The victim was shot in the upper body and was taken to a nearby medical facility for treatment,”
Van Wyk added.
Authorities are urging the public to come forward with any information that may assist the investigation. Anyone with knowledge about the incident is encouraged to contact the Lwandle police detective branch commander, Captain Caroline Calitz, on 082 469 7454, or alternatively, to call Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
Cata spokesperson Nkululeko Sityebi has confirmed that the injured driver is a member of Cata.
“I can confirm that the driver who was shot is a member of Cata,”
Sityebi said.
The current wave of violence has already exacted a grim toll across the region. The most recent string of attacks was sparked by a mass shooting at the Mfuleni taxi rank last Friday, where four people were killed and three others were left injured.
Adding to the human cost, an eight-year-old boy was wounded by a stray bullet in Lwandle last Saturday, during an attack in which another taxi driver was fatally shot.
The violence continued unabated into the new week, with another driver gunned down in Langa on Monday night.
In an appeal for calm ahead of Wednesday’s critical task team meeting, Western Cape Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku issued a strong statement calling on all involved parties to act responsibly.
“I call on all role players to remain calm and allow the law to take its course. We must never accept violence as a way to resolve disputes,”
Sileku urged.
Meanwhile, the Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, confirmed that the South African Police Service (SAPS) is continuing its investigations. Law enforcement presence in the affected areas has been significantly increased to deter further violence.
“SAPS investigations are ongoing, and Law Enforcement presence in affected areas has been intensified,”
Marais said.
