WESTERN CAPE. – Four suspects have been detained in separate investigations into taxi violence. The arrests relate to two shooting incidents in which four taxi owners were killed, as well as a petrol bomb attack on the home of the chairperson of a taxi association. The detentions were carried out over the past weekend at Hermanus, Kensington and at the Langa taxi rank respectively.
Brig. Novela Potelwa, police spokesperson, says the provincial taxi violence unit's detectives arrested two suspects, aged 28 and 36, in connection with the shooting at the Zwelihle taxi rank in Hermanus in September. Two taxi owners were shot dead during that incident and a taxi driver was wounded. The suspects are expected to appear today on charges of murder and attempted murder in the Hermanus magistrate's court.
A third suspect, 29, was detained in Kensington in connection with the petrol bomb attack on 30 September on the home of a taxi association chairperson in Retreat. He is expected to appear today in the Wynberg magistrate's court. A fourth suspect, also 29, was arrested at the Langa taxi rank in connection with the shooting at the Epping taxi rank on 16 October. Two taxi owners were shot dead there and another person was wounded. Two other suspects were already detained on the day of that shooting. The fourth suspect is expected to appear in the Bishop Lavis magistrate's court. Police say deployments have been strengthened at identified taxi violence flashpoints, while detectives continue with their investigations.
Makhosandile Tumana, liaison officer for Santaco in the Western Cape, says the organisation strongly condemns the alleged taxi-related shooting incidents in Epping, Delft and Maitland. According to Santaco, incidents in Delft and Maitland on Thursday, 22 October claimed four lives and injured two people. The organisation extends its sympathies to the families of the deceased and wishes the injured a speedy recovery. Santaco calls on law enforcement authorities to thoroughly investigate the incidents and bring those responsible to justice. The organisation also urges stakeholders in the taxi industry to reject violence, maintain calm and use legitimate processes to resolve disputes. According to Tumana, the protection of human life remains the highest priority.
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
