Another taxi boss gunned down in Mdantsane

A well known East London taxi boss was shot dead at the Mdantsane Highway taxi rank in NU2 last night.

A second taxi owner was rushed to an undisclosed hospital with bullet wounds after two unknown gunmen opened fire on the two shortly after 5pm.

The men had been sitting in a Volkswagen Polo when the assailants got out of a car without registration plates and fired several shots. The motive for the killing was still unknown last night.

They fired at the driver’s side but fatally hit the taxi owner, who had been sitting on the passenger side, in his head.

The taxi boss had just been voted into the East London Uncedo Taxi Association’s executive at the weekend.

Some members of the dead man’s family were seen crying uncontrollably at the scene.

The two men’s names are being withheld as there are other family members who have not yet been informed.

This is the second fatal shooting in the taxi rank since March last year.

Taxi leader Xolani Mapuma was gunned down in full view of other taxi operators last year. No arrests have been made in connection with Mapuma’s murder.

Almost two hours after yesterday’s shooting, the body was still inside the car as the forensic team had yet to arrive.

Police cordoned off the area with about 25 police vehicles.

Hawkers, passengers, taxi owners and taxi drivers watched in shock.

Some taxi bosses could be heard saying they were concerned about their safety and where they would sleep last night, fearing they might be targeted next.

A hawker, who identified herself only as Wendy, said she had been walking towards the scene when she saw people running in all directions. “I froze when I heard the gunshots. For years we have been complaining about crime here in Highway.

“People are assaulted all the time when they are suspected of theft. I wish there would be a police station at the taxi rank.

“We need more police visibility in the area,” she said.

Another onlooker suspected the shooting was a hit by rivals.

“He was a very humble, honest and a down-to-earth man. They waited for him to get a promotion and congratulated him only to shoot him dead.”

A taxi driver suspected the hit might have been commissioned from within the Mdantsane rank. “We just made peace and now we are back killing each other again.

“We all agreed to work together but innocent people are being killed.

“We just spoke about the violence in the industry in the media and now this is happening,” he said.

Provincial police spokeswoman Colonel Sibongile Soci said: “SAPS can confirm that cases of murder and attempted murder are under investigation following a shooting incident near or at the taxi rank.

“One person was fatally wounded while the other person was injured and taken to hospital for medical attention.

“Police cannot speculate on the cause of the shooting, but investigation continues.”

Last night’s fatal shooting comes just a month after the SA National Taxi Council boss Noluntu Mahashe was shot by a lone shooter.

She survived and discharged herself from hospital, fearing her attempted killer would be back to finish her off.

Taxi violence in the Eastern Cape this year has claimed several lives as warring associations fight over operating routes.

Associations have tried to make peace on more than one occasion only for the violence to flare up again. — DDR