Mthatha's city centre turned into a war zone yesterday as taxi violence broke out, resulting in one man being shot dead and two others seriously injured.
A 25-year-old taxi conductor, who was part of group of men standing in Sutherland Street, was killed when the occupants of a Toyota Quantum mini-bus taxi and double-cab bakkie opened fire randomly as they drove up the street towards the busy city centre.
Police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Dineo Koena said: “The drive-by shooting left one man fatally wounded and two others seriously injured. The injured were rushed to hospital.”
Their identities were not immediately released to the media.
In the aftermath, empty cartridges could be seen lying all over the street stretching over a distance of more than 100m from where the taxi conductor was shot dead.
“Looking at the CCTV camera one could see the Toyota Quantum and the bakkie briefly stopping before gunshots could be heard as the vehicles drove up the street during the drive-by shooting,” said Koena.
She said that about 15 cartridges and a live round were found at the scene.
The area was cordoned off for almost two hours.
Koena said the shooting was related to the ongoing taxi violence.
Taxi bosses said seven people had died in the past eight months from taxi violence, but Koena declined to be drawn into giving figures. However, she confirmed that this was not an isolated incident.
The shooting, near the Corhana Taxi Rank along Sutherland Street, caused concern among city residents. Many witnesses who spoke to the Daily Dispatch refused to give their names out of fear.
“It was like watching a movie,” said one. “There was bang, bang, bang. Vehicles were driven at high speed with people protruding through windows of the vehicles shooting.
“It took about two minutes but felt as if it was an hour. People ran for their lives and others quickly took cover under vehicles and behind traffic lights.”
Border Alliance Association (Bata) taxi president Vuyani Mshiywa and president of the Mthatha Taxi Owners’ Association (MTOA) Zanemvula Gaya confirmed that the deceased conductor was one of their members.
MTOA is an affiliate of Bata.
Mshiywa and Gaya strongly condemned the violence in the region and called for peace and stability.
“We cannot continue killing each other. What message are we sending to our customers and the public?” asked Gaya, adding that taxi associations needed to sit down and solve their problems.
Mshiywa said it was worrying that taxi violence was re-emerging. “We are past that era of violence. We need to act as professionals in the industry. We need to solve our problems amicably, not by the barrel of a gun.”
He complained about the poor working relations between Bata affiliates in Libode and Mthatha over boundaries and routes.
The latest shooting follows similar incidents of violence in the past including:
lProminent Mthatha taxi- owning couple Mendu and Thembisa Stoyile, aged 64 and 54, were shot dead in March. They were members of the Uncedo Service Taxi Association;
l Earlier this month two rival taxi associations clashed over operating routes and four vehicles were damaged after stone throwing; and
lTwo weeks ago a taxi operator was buried in Libode after being shot dead in what is believed to be taxi-related violence. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Taxi violence leaves one dead
A 25-year-old taxi conductor, who was part of group of men standing in Sutherland Street, was killed when the occupants of a Toyota Quantum mini-bus taxi and double-cab bakkie opened fire randomly as they drove up the street towards the busy city centre.
Police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Dineo Koena said: “The drive-by shooting left one man fatally wounded and two others seriously injured. The injured were rushed to hospital.”
Their identities were not immediately released to the media.
In the aftermath, empty cartridges could be seen lying all over the street stretching over a distance of more than 100m from where the taxi conductor was shot dead.
“Looking at the CCTV camera one could see the Toyota Quantum and the bakkie briefly stopping before gunshots could be heard as the vehicles drove up the street during the drive-by shooting,” said Koena.
She said that about 15 cartridges and a live round were found at the scene.
The area was cordoned off for almost two hours.
Koena said the shooting was related to the ongoing taxi violence.
Taxi bosses said seven people had died in the past eight months from taxi violence, but Koena declined to be drawn into giving figures. However, she confirmed that this was not an isolated incident.
The shooting, near the Corhana Taxi Rank along Sutherland Street, caused concern among city residents. Many witnesses who spoke to the Daily Dispatch refused to give their names out of fear.
“It was like watching a movie,” said one. “There was bang, bang, bang. Vehicles were driven at high speed with people protruding through windows of the vehicles shooting.
“It took about two minutes but felt as if it was an hour. People ran for their lives and others quickly took cover under vehicles and behind traffic lights.”
Border Alliance Association (Bata) taxi president Vuyani Mshiywa and president of the Mthatha Taxi Owners’ Association (MTOA) Zanemvula Gaya confirmed that the deceased conductor was one of their members.
MTOA is an affiliate of Bata.
Mshiywa and Gaya strongly condemned the violence in the region and called for peace and stability.
“We cannot continue killing each other. What message are we sending to our customers and the public?” asked Gaya, adding that taxi associations needed to sit down and solve their problems.
Mshiywa said it was worrying that taxi violence was re-emerging. “We are past that era of violence. We need to act as professionals in the industry. We need to solve our problems amicably, not by the barrel of a gun.”
He complained about the poor working relations between Bata affiliates in Libode and Mthatha over boundaries and routes.
The latest shooting follows similar incidents of violence in the past including:
lProminent Mthatha taxi- owning couple Mendu and Thembisa Stoyile, aged 64 and 54, were shot dead in March. They were members of the Uncedo Service Taxi Association;
l Earlier this month two rival taxi associations clashed over operating routes and four vehicles were damaged after stone throwing; and
lTwo weeks ago a taxi operator was buried in Libode after being shot dead in what is believed to be taxi-related violence. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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