A teenaged boy and four taxi drivers were victims of rampant taxi and gang violence in Vrygrond and Overcome Heights on Saturday.
A four-year-old child was also shot and injured.
Ward councillor Mandy Marr said the violence appeared to have started last Sunday, 24 November, in Westlake when a Junky Funky Kids skollie from Vrygrond was allegedly shot and killed by a member of the Vrygrond Taxi Association during a shootout. A taxi driver was left injured.
Marr said on Saturday four people were shot and killed - a taxi driver, Warren, was shot in Drury Road, Vrygrond; another Retreat taxi driver was shot and killed in his taxi on the corner of Prince George Drive and Military Road; a 16-year-old boy was shot and killed at the Vrygrond Taxi Rank in Jeppie Road, Vrygrond; and a Retreat taxi driver was shot and killed in Overcome Heights.
A four-year-old child was also injured and rushed to False Bay Hospital.
Marr explains: “It's quite a confusing situation because we don't know why the two taxi associations are involved.
“It’s all basically like drive-by shootings, so no arrests have been made. And of course people are too scared to lay charges, even if they do see anything.”
Marr said the taxi bosses wanted to meet with the gang bosses.
Police spokesperson warrant officer Joseph Swartbooi confirmed two of the murders and said no arrests have been made.
He said on Saturday, responding officers found the body of the 16-year-old boy in Jappie Road at around 4:40pm.
“The motive for this attack is under investigation.”
He said in an unrelated incident on the same day, officers on patrol heard a shooting in Rasta Road, Overcome Heights.
Swartbooi said cops found the body of a 35-year-old man. The motive is believed to be taxi-violence related.
On Sunday, more shootings were reported at the Vrygrond Taxi Rank and in Philemon Road, Vrygrond. It is understood three men were killed but police did not confirm this by last night.
Vrygrond community leader Mymoena Scholtz said the community was once again being held hostage by taxi bosses and gangsters.
She said they want greater police presence and an intervention by the Minister of Police.
She explains: “People are working and they’re fearing coming home. There’s already so much poverty and if people just stay absent, they might lose their jobs.
“So it's totally unfair that a handful of criminals are holding the community hostage.”
CODETA Vrygrond chairperson Makhosandile Tumana said they do not know why the Funky’s “jump on us and kill people by the rank”.
He said: “My driver is still suffering in hospital, the one that was shot on Sunday morning [24 Nov]…
“It was between us and Junky Funky’s, they were beating us left and right but today (Sun), I hear the story that there are two guys that got shot as well and the other driver was shot in Overcome on Sunday.
“He was the driver of CATA Constantia so we are a bit confused what exactly is happening.”
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za