Another Eastern Cape taxi operator has been gunned down in cold blood outside his own home.
Xolile Baliso, 44, was shot and left for dead as he arrived at his Mdantsane home from an out-of-town trip.
Baliso is the first operator to be killed in 2017 in a raging taxi war which has claimed more than 15 lives in the province since early last year.
Police spokesman, Captain Mluleki Mbi said police had not yet arrested a suspect.
“Police are investigating a case of murder following the fatal shooting of a 44-year-old man in NU16, Mdantsane outside East London on Wednesday at about 8.20pm.
Mbi said, “it is said that he was parking his vehicle at his neighbour’s house when he was approached by an unknown gunman who shot him whilst still in his vehicle. He died on the way to hospital.”
Baliso was the fifth shooting victim in the taxi business war since March last year in the East London taxi district.
In Mthatha, 10 taxi operators were killed last year.
South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) Eastern Cape leader, Noluntu Mahashe, said the shooting and killing of the members was taxi related.
In March last year, Xolani Mapuma was shot dead in Mdantsane taxi rank.
A few months later Saziso Joka, 65, was shot and killed near Needs Camp and, in September, Xolani Sontshatsha was shot and seriously wounded outside his East London CBD townhouse.
“All these members gunned down are former members of Mdantsane, East London and District Taxi Association (Melta) and Border Alliance Taxi Association or Melta,” said Mahashe.
She said the slayings happened at the time when taxi organisations were negotiating deals to turn the industry into a world-class business.
Mahashe said another suspect was held for questioning after he allegedly followed Sontshatsha to hospital.
“We don’t know the extent of this, but we understand that they wanted to finish him off in hospital,” she said.
Mbi said the shooting of Baliso came a month after a murder of a Scenery Park taxi driver Vuyani Potwana, 33.
Anyone with information which could assist in tracking down the perpetrators can contact Inyibiba SAPS on 043-708-4610 or 0860-10111. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
East Cape’s raging taxi war claims first victim of new year
Xolile Baliso, 44, was shot and left for dead as he arrived at his Mdantsane home from an out-of-town trip.
Baliso is the first operator to be killed in 2017 in a raging taxi war which has claimed more than 15 lives in the province since early last year.
Police spokesman, Captain Mluleki Mbi said police had not yet arrested a suspect.
“Police are investigating a case of murder following the fatal shooting of a 44-year-old man in NU16, Mdantsane outside East London on Wednesday at about 8.20pm.
Mbi said, “it is said that he was parking his vehicle at his neighbour’s house when he was approached by an unknown gunman who shot him whilst still in his vehicle. He died on the way to hospital.”
Baliso was the fifth shooting victim in the taxi business war since March last year in the East London taxi district.
In Mthatha, 10 taxi operators were killed last year.
South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) Eastern Cape leader, Noluntu Mahashe, said the shooting and killing of the members was taxi related.
In March last year, Xolani Mapuma was shot dead in Mdantsane taxi rank.
A few months later Saziso Joka, 65, was shot and killed near Needs Camp and, in September, Xolani Sontshatsha was shot and seriously wounded outside his East London CBD townhouse.
“All these members gunned down are former members of Mdantsane, East London and District Taxi Association (Melta) and Border Alliance Taxi Association or Melta,” said Mahashe.
She said the slayings happened at the time when taxi organisations were negotiating deals to turn the industry into a world-class business.
Mahashe said another suspect was held for questioning after he allegedly followed Sontshatsha to hospital.
“We don’t know the extent of this, but we understand that they wanted to finish him off in hospital,” she said.
Mbi said the shooting of Baliso came a month after a murder of a Scenery Park taxi driver Vuyani Potwana, 33.
Anyone with information which could assist in tracking down the perpetrators can contact Inyibiba SAPS on 043-708-4610 or 0860-10111. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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