Law enforcement has been beefed up in Mthatha after three people were killed and 15 injured in a drive-by shooting on Thursday night.
The attack, which took place on the R61 near the Circus Triangle Mall taxi rank at about 6pm, was allegedly fuelled by ongoing taxi violence in the district.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela said the latest incident was the fourth related to taxi violence.
Already, eight people have been killed in recent months.
Fatyela and taxi bosses said the cause of the violence was routes on the R61 between Mthatha, Libode and Ntlaza. The riots had spread to the N2 between Mthatha and Tsolo.
“Eight taxis were stoned and damaged when a fight broke out early on Thursday near Sibangweni along the N2. No injuries were reported.
“There was also a shooting near Corhana on the Ngqeleni exchange along the R61 road and later followed by a shooting at Ntlaza near Libode. Nobody was reported injured,” Fatyela said.
He said police were deployed on all affected routes while the Hawks had also been roped in to quell the ongoing taxi violence.
There were renewed calls for divine intervention by taxi associations operating in and out of Mthatha yesterday.
Border Alliance Association (Bata) taxi president Vuyani Mshiywa, Uncedo Service Taxi Association (Usta) president Ntsikelelo Gaehler and Mthatha Taxi Owners’ Association (MTOA) president Zanemvula Gaya strongly condemned the violence and called for peace and stability.
“We are calling an urgent meeting involving both leadership of Uncedo and Bata in an effort to come with a solution to speedily stop this bloodbath,” Mshiywa said.
“We cannot come back to the days of violence.
“As business people we must sit around a table and resolve our problems as professionals, not as criminals,” he said.
Transport, safety and liaison MEC Weziwe Tikana strongly condemned the taxi violence.
The MEC’s spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca said: “This is a barbaric act and an act of cowardice. . .”
ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane also condemned the violence.
Kumbaca said a big anti-violence prayer meeting requested by Usta was to be held at Abbotsford in East London on Sunday.
Tight security to curb spike in taxi violence
The attack, which took place on the R61 near the Circus Triangle Mall taxi rank at about 6pm, was allegedly fuelled by ongoing taxi violence in the district.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela said the latest incident was the fourth related to taxi violence.
Already, eight people have been killed in recent months.
Fatyela and taxi bosses said the cause of the violence was routes on the R61 between Mthatha, Libode and Ntlaza. The riots had spread to the N2 between Mthatha and Tsolo.
“Eight taxis were stoned and damaged when a fight broke out early on Thursday near Sibangweni along the N2. No injuries were reported.
“There was also a shooting near Corhana on the Ngqeleni exchange along the R61 road and later followed by a shooting at Ntlaza near Libode. Nobody was reported injured,” Fatyela said.
He said police were deployed on all affected routes while the Hawks had also been roped in to quell the ongoing taxi violence.
There were renewed calls for divine intervention by taxi associations operating in and out of Mthatha yesterday.
Border Alliance Association (Bata) taxi president Vuyani Mshiywa, Uncedo Service Taxi Association (Usta) president Ntsikelelo Gaehler and Mthatha Taxi Owners’ Association (MTOA) president Zanemvula Gaya strongly condemned the violence and called for peace and stability.
“We are calling an urgent meeting involving both leadership of Uncedo and Bata in an effort to come with a solution to speedily stop this bloodbath,” Mshiywa said.
“We cannot come back to the days of violence.
“As business people we must sit around a table and resolve our problems as professionals, not as criminals,” he said.
Transport, safety and liaison MEC Weziwe Tikana strongly condemned the taxi violence.
The MEC’s spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca said: “This is a barbaric act and an act of cowardice. . .”
ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane also condemned the violence.
Kumbaca said a big anti-violence prayer meeting requested by Usta was to be held at Abbotsford in East London on Sunday.
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