Taxi violence claim lives as fight over route escalate

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Five people were fatally shot while another five sustained injuries and taken to hospital following shooting involving taxi operators on Wednesday.

The police said they are investigating a case of murder and attempted murder as a result of the incident between two alleged taxi associations in Lakeside, south of Johannesburg.

According to police spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, members of these associations are fighting for a route following the construction of the newly built Letsheng mall taxi rank set to operate soon.

Five people were fatally shot and five sustained injuries and were taken to hospital.

Taxi violence near De Deur in the Vaal. Five people reportedly shot dead and five others injured. pic.twitter.com/WcMdWU4Y4A

— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) November 22, 2023

Meanwhile, the police in Orange Farm arrested three suspects following a shooting incident whereby a passenger of a taxi was fatally shot while the driver was injured.

The trio is expected to appear before court soon on charges of murder and attempted murder.

With the the said shopping complex ready to open its doors for trading in anticipation of the Black Friday weekend, taxi violence between Vaal Witwatersrand(Wits) and Orange Farm United Taxi Association (Ofuta) over routes continued to rear it ugly head.

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On Tuesday, November 7, three taxi owners who are apparently members of Ofuta were allegedly shot dead in Orange Farm extension 2 near the taxi rank.

Whilst another taxi owner was also shot dead near BP fuel station in Lakeside on the previous day.

It is alleged Orange Farm taxi owners from Ofuta are claiming the mall belongs to them while Vaal taxi owners from Vaal Wits are demanding business as well.

In 2021, a silver BMW with three men inside came to Palm Springs taxi rank on Falcon Road, near Evaton when one of the passengers climbed out the vehicle and started shooting randomly.

At the time, police spokesperson, sergeant Nombulelo Mahlakoana reportedly told Sedibeng Ster that the deceased were a taxi owner who was a member of Vaal Wits Taxi Association who sustained 12 gun shots to his body and the other was a queue marshal who had sustained two gunshots to his body.