Peace plan in peril after ambush on Melta boss

Just three days after rival East London taxi associations signed a ceasefire to end a year-long bloodbath, Mdantsane East London and District Taxi Association (Melta) spokesman Welile Blayi survived an assassination attempt on Saturday afternoon.

Blayi, 54, a Melta executive committee member, was in NU6 returning from slain taxi driver Siphamandla Matolengwe’s funeral in Phumlani village outside East London when two gunmen fired eight shots, leaving his Toyota Hilux bakkie riddled with bullet holes.

Blayi said he had left his car parked at the home of a friend before driving in his friend’s car to the funeral.

“The shooters must’ve seen my car parked there at 9am and waited for me to come out. They nursed my car for six hours because I arrived back from the funeral at 3pm.

“There were two guys but only one came to my car just when I was reversing out the gate of my friend’s home. The first shot hit the windscreen below the wipers.”

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