Fears of renewed taxi violence are escalating following several shooting incidents in the Nyanga area.
The Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) couldn’t confirm the real reason behind the shootings, but said they had pulled out some taxis in Philippi, Samora and Delft.
Of the 16 people who were shot in the past month, seven have died.
In the latest incident on Monday, a female passenger was killed in Philippi and two others were wounded.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie confirms Nyanga detectives are investigating a murder and two attempted murder cases for further investigation following a shooting incident at about 9.50am, at the corner of Sheffield and Eisleben Road in Philippi.
Pojie says: “Preliminary information reveals that the taxi was loading commuters when unknown gunmen armed with rifles opened fire on the taxi.
“The driver managed to run away, but a lady in her mid-thirties succumbed to gunshot wounds in her upper body.
“Two other passengers [a male and female] were rushed to a medical facility for treatment for gunshot wounds sustained to the face and back, respectively.
“The gunmen are still at large. No arrests have been made yet.”Police say in another incident, also on Monday, a man in a Toyota Quantum was shot by men who were driving a Toyota Avanza.
Pojie reports: “Another murder case was opened by Nyanga SAPS following an unrelated shooting incident at the corner of Klipfontein and Borcherds Quarry Road at about 9.30am which claimed the life of a 46-year-old man.
“Preliminary information reveals that the deceased was stationary at the red robot with the vehicle he drove, a Toyota Quantum, when he was approached by an unknown gunman in a white Toyota Avanza who fired several shots at the deceased.”
He says the suspects fled the scene and no arrests have been made yet.
Cata spokesperson Nkululeko Sityebi says they are shocked by the shootings.
Sityebi explains: “We came from the December holidays and then we saw our drivers and operators being killed.
“We are now asking if we are safe, because we don’t know who is doing what and for what reason.
“We can confirm that all of this is happening on one route that is under Cata, Seawater.
“I cannot guarantee the safety of the commuters. Only the police can help with that because we don’t know where the threat comes from.”
Sityebi says taxis are not operating at full capacity on the Seawater route, and the routes from Nyanga to Cape Town, and Delft to Cape Town, which fall under Cata.
He adds: “We are not 100% operating on those routes due to the violence. All other Cata routes are operational.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the investigator, Captain Lukhanyo Magadla, at 082 411 3245 or Crime Stop at 08600 10111.