Johannesburg – The South African taxi industry is once again grappling with a surge in violence, as the recent killings of taxi owners and marshals have ignited fear and prompted urgent action from industry leaders. In separate incidents across Gauteng and the Western Cape, four men connected to the taxi industry have been gunned down in a matter of weeks, raising concerns about a potential resurgence of taxi-related conflict.
The Benoni Taxi Association has called an urgent meeting to address the escalating violence targeting its marshals. The meeting, scheduled for next week, aims to uncover the reasons behind the recent killings and find solutions to protect those working on the ground.
Derrick Mntambo, chairman of the Benoni Taxi Association, expressed his deep concern over the situation. "It's concerning and worrying. We want members from these two routes to come and explain what's going on. It's unusual for marshals to be killed," he said.
The call for the meeting was prompted by the recent murder of Bheki Vilakazi, who was shot dead on Wednesday, 5 March, while collecting cash from taxi drivers at the Las Vegas Taxi Rank in Etwatwa, Ekurhuleni. According to reports, Vilakazi was approached by a lone gunman on foot who opened fire, killing him instantly.
Bheki's family is praying for the killer to be found.
His elder brother Jabulani Vilakazi said he received a call telling him to rush to the taxi rank.
"I was greeted by my brother's lifeless body lying on the ground. I still can't believe it," he said.
"We only pray for justice. My brother was shot many times to ensure they don't leave him alive. We don't know what grudge they had against him," said Jabulani.
Jabulani says his brother's body was found riddled with bullets at a taxi rank.
Captain Nelda Sekgobela, spokeswoman for the Ekurhuleni District Police, confirmed that a murder case has been opened at Etwatwa Police Station and that police are investigating the incident.
The killing of Vilakazi follows another incident last week, where a marshal was shot dead in Dunswart, Ekurhuleni, further fueling the Benoni Taxi Association's concerns.
Meanwhile, in Cape Town, taxi owners and drivers are living in fear as they too become targets of violence. On Tuesday morning, 4 March, a 33-year-old taxi owner was shot and killed near the Ramaphosa informal settlement in Philippi, along Govan Mbeki Road.
The victim, who was responsible for regulating the routes and preventing unauthorised vehicles from picking up passengers, was parking his bakkie alongside the road with a colleague when the incident occurred.
A resident who witnessed the shooting told Daily Sun that the victim consistently parked his vehicle at the traffic lights, always wearing his reflector jacket. "The gunmen emerged from between the shacks in Ramaphosa informal settlement, initially pretending to walk past, then turned and fired several shots at the victim. His partner narrowly avoided being hit by a passing car as he fled the scene," said the witness.
Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association spokesman Nkululeko Sityebi confirmed that the victim was affiliated with their organisation and was responsible for regulating vehicles on Govan Mbeki. Sityebi expressed his shock and concern over the incident. "We also heard that the killers came from the shacks and shot at him before disappearing again. We do not know where these killings are coming from and even the motive behind them," he said.
Sityebi lamented the pervasive fear within the taxi industry, stating that owners and drivers are constantly looking over their shoulders. "You never know who will be next. It is difficult to do anything because you don’t even know where the killings are coming from and for what reasons."
The shooting on Govan Mbeki Road is not an isolated incident. On Friday, 28 February, a taxi owner was shot and killed at Site C taxi rank, while three passengers were injured. Last month, a man was shot, and cops recovered several firearms at Nyanga Taxi Rank. Another taxi driver was shot and killed at a taxi rank in Strand in February.
Police spokesman Captain Frederick Van Wyk confirmed the incident on Govan Mbeki Road, stating that Nyanga police are investigating a murder case. "According to reports, SAPS members attended a crime scene at the mentioned area and upon arrival, they found the body of a male with multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body. The deceased had a reflector jacket on. It was alleged that he was regulating taxis. Circumstances surrounding this incident are under investigation. The possibility that the motive can be taxi-related will be investigated," said Van Wyk.
The recent spate of killings has raised concerns about a possible resurgence of taxi violence, which has plagued the industry for decades. The motives behind the killings remain unclear, but police are investigating possible taxi-related motives in several of the cases.
