A Rea Vaya bus driver was brutally murdered on Monday night, 3 February, in Protea Glen, Soweto, in what authorities have described as a “well-orchestrated hit.” The 31-year-old driver, who had joined the company just eight weeks ago, was nearing the end of his shift when his life was tragically cut short.
The attack occurred when the driver stopped at a traffic light along Wildchestnut Street in Protea Glen. Unknown assailants opened fire, spraying the bus with 17 bullets. Blood was splattered across the scene, windows were shattered, and 17 cartridges littered the floor, marking the gruesome nature of the crime.
Blood stains and shattered windows after fatal shooting of Rea Vaya bus driver on Monday, 3 January. Video by Nhlanhla Khomola pic.twitter.com/arsASPxzXd
— Daily Sun (@dailysunsa) February 4, 2025
A visibly shaken Rea Vaya shop steward, Risimati Mathebula, was among the first responders to the scene. He described the harrowing sight to the Daily Sun: “I was shocked; we immediately rushed to the scene. It was not a pleasant sight. There’s blood everywhere, and even those buses aren’t cleaned yet, but what can we say, it’s life.”
Mathebula, struggling to hold back tears, added: “I didn’t know how to react, you know? This isn’t something you learn to handle at school or university. Emotions take control, depending on how the information reaches you and how you respond to it.”
Rea Vaya shop steward Risimati Mathebula says he was one of the first people to arrive at the scene and was shocked by what he saw. Video by Nhlanhla Khomola#ReaVaya pic.twitter.com/5gkp8IOQZu
— Daily Sun (@dailysunsa) February 4, 2025
The murder has left Rea Vaya drivers traumatised and fearful for their lives. Mathebula explained that the drivers are confused and frightened because they do not know who is targeting them. “When you’re a driver, you must know who is attacking you. If we had clear knowledge of who is targeting us, we would ask what that person wants and what might be the solution,” he said.
He further speculated on the possible motives behind the attacks: “You don’t know whether you’re being targeted because you are driving a bus, because of the routes, because of politics, or if it’s a conflict among shareholders.”
Rea Vaya shop steward Risimati Mathebula says he was one of the first people to arrive at the scene and was shocked by what he saw. Video by Nhlanhla Khomola pic.twitter.com/zlgr4awcra
— Daily Sun (@dailysunsa) February 4, 2025
This incident was not isolated. On the same night, another Rea Vaya bus driver was shot dead in a separate attack near Mapetla Secondary School in Soweto. City of Johannesburg MMC for Transport Kenny Kunene confirmed that the first shooting occurred at 8.30pm.
“I think about eight bullets were fired. The driver was shot while driving, and when the bus got stuck, they came to finish him. Paramedics arrived while he was still alive, but he succumbed to his injuries,” Kunene said.
The second attack, which claimed the life of the Protea Glen driver, happened near Curro College in Protea, approximately nine minutes from the first scene. Kunene described the incidents as “a clear assassination” and urged against speculation while police investigations are ongoing.
He added that services would resume the following day, with enhanced security measures in place. The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department is preparing a security plan, which includes escorting buses and deploying officers to key Bus Rapid Transit stations.
Four individuals, believed to be foreign nationals, have been arrested in connection with the shootings. Police reportedly found an unlicensed firearm in their possession, but investigations are ongoing to determine their involvement. “As the City of Johannesburg and the government of local unity, we are hoping that the law will take its course,” Kunene said.
The attacks come amid ongoing tensions in the public transport sector. The Rea Vaya feeder system had been inactive for almost a year after the bus company was placed under business rescue. Services resumed only two months ago, facing resistance from some within the taxi industry.
While Kunene acknowledged past disputes, he was cautious about linking the attacks directly to the taxi industry. “We don’t want to speculate that the taxi industry is behind this, or do we want to assume that the issue is related to the feeder buses. But it is suspicious that two drivers from different empowerment companies – Piotrans and Litsamaiso – were targeted on the same night in a well-planned, well-executed assassination,” he said.
Kunene described the attacks as a direct challenge to the government’s authority and public transport services. “This is a declaration of war against the residents of Soweto, against the government of local unity, and against the provincial and national government. We must respond accordingly,” he declared.
He also noted that while he could not directly link these incidents to similar bus attacks in other provinces, including Mpumalanga, such acts targeted essential services provided by the government. “When you attack people who are servicing the residents of Johannesburg, you are declaring war on government,” Kunene said.
As police investigations continue, colleagues of the slain driver gathered at the Dobsonville depot in Soweto to hold small prayers for their lost comrade. The atmosphere was sombre, with many drivers questioning who might be next.
