SA National Taxi Council boss Noluntu Mahashe, 67, has instructed doctors to discharge her from hospital fearing that the gunman who shot and wounded her would find her and finish her off in hospital.
Yesterday Mahashe said she discharged herself despite doctors offering to transfer her to a different hospital.
Mahashe was rushed to hospital on Thursday after a lone gunman shot her.
She said the bullet, fired little more than a metre away from her, narrowly missed her kidney and exited through her buttock.
Although the shooting has not been confirmed as a taxi industry-related hit, Mahashe said she would not rule it out.
She said: “The taxi industry is a very dangerous field. You never know, so one needs to be extra careful and take all the precautionary steps.”
In an interview with the Dispatch yesterday, Mahashe, who has a disability and uses a wheelchair, said she was recovering well.
A man who had been visiting her and was also shot and wounded is still in hospital in critical condition.
The unnamed man, who has a relative in Santaco, had just arrived at Mahashe’s house to drop off an official for a meeting when he was shot inside the car.
Mahashe said she was told by the police yesterday that the bullet was still lodged in the man’s chest cavity.
In an unusual twist, Mahashe said she did not want the gunman to be arrested but to be given employment.
Mahashe said she and the gunman spent 20 minutes talking about the steps he needed to take to join the taxi industry.
“He told me that he had bought a taxi and wanted to know how to get a permit.
“I noticed that he was a good boy but was forced to take the hit job – he was desperate.
“I was shot by a friend,” she said, adding that she knew who was behind the murder attempt.
“In August there was a hitlist that came out and I was one of four people targeted for assassination.”
Mahashe said she had made a few enemies after she signed a master plan deal with government that would see hundreds of unsafe taxis being taken off the roads.
Mahashe said she had asked the gunman to give her his cellphone number.
“He told me that his cellphone was new and he didn’t know his number off the top of his head so he went out, saying he would fetch the phone from the car.”
Mahashe said the suspect took a few steps and when he reached the door, turned around, pulled out a gun and said: “Mama please forgive, I was sent to kill you.”
“I asked him if he would proceed to kill me and he said yes, then I told him go ahead.”
Mahashe said the suspect had introduced himself as “Vuyo Xingela” of Quigney.
Mahashe has been speaking out against the ongoing violence between taxi industry competitors Mdantsane East London and District Taxi Association (Melta) and Mdantsane East London Taxi Association (Meta).
Mahashe’s niece Ntombekhaya, who was in the house breastfeeding her infant, was also shot at when she ran out to investigate. The shot missed her.
Hawks spokeswoman Captain Anelisa Feni said the case was being investigated by the SAPS Organised Crime Unit in Zwelitsha. — malibongwed@dispatch.
co.za
Scared taxi boss leaves hospital
Yesterday Mahashe said she discharged herself despite doctors offering to transfer her to a different hospital.
Mahashe was rushed to hospital on Thursday after a lone gunman shot her.
She said the bullet, fired little more than a metre away from her, narrowly missed her kidney and exited through her buttock.
Although the shooting has not been confirmed as a taxi industry-related hit, Mahashe said she would not rule it out.
She said: “The taxi industry is a very dangerous field. You never know, so one needs to be extra careful and take all the precautionary steps.”
In an interview with the Dispatch yesterday, Mahashe, who has a disability and uses a wheelchair, said she was recovering well.
A man who had been visiting her and was also shot and wounded is still in hospital in critical condition.
The unnamed man, who has a relative in Santaco, had just arrived at Mahashe’s house to drop off an official for a meeting when he was shot inside the car.
Mahashe said she was told by the police yesterday that the bullet was still lodged in the man’s chest cavity.
In an unusual twist, Mahashe said she did not want the gunman to be arrested but to be given employment.
Mahashe said she and the gunman spent 20 minutes talking about the steps he needed to take to join the taxi industry.
“He told me that he had bought a taxi and wanted to know how to get a permit.
“I noticed that he was a good boy but was forced to take the hit job – he was desperate.
“I was shot by a friend,” she said, adding that she knew who was behind the murder attempt.
“In August there was a hitlist that came out and I was one of four people targeted for assassination.”
Mahashe said she had made a few enemies after she signed a master plan deal with government that would see hundreds of unsafe taxis being taken off the roads.
Mahashe said she had asked the gunman to give her his cellphone number.
“He told me that his cellphone was new and he didn’t know his number off the top of his head so he went out, saying he would fetch the phone from the car.”
Mahashe said the suspect took a few steps and when he reached the door, turned around, pulled out a gun and said: “Mama please forgive, I was sent to kill you.”
“I asked him if he would proceed to kill me and he said yes, then I told him go ahead.”
Mahashe said the suspect had introduced himself as “Vuyo Xingela” of Quigney.
Mahashe has been speaking out against the ongoing violence between taxi industry competitors Mdantsane East London and District Taxi Association (Melta) and Mdantsane East London Taxi Association (Meta).
Mahashe’s niece Ntombekhaya, who was in the house breastfeeding her infant, was also shot at when she ran out to investigate. The shot missed her.
Hawks spokeswoman Captain Anelisa Feni said the case was being investigated by the SAPS Organised Crime Unit in Zwelitsha. — malibongwed@dispatch.
co.za
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