Two killed in suspected taxi violence in Kensington
“Behind the vehicle was the body of an unknown man, possibly one of the suspects.”
Police attended the scene of a double murder at the corner of Allum and Cumberland roads in South Kensington on March 24. The bodies of two men were found lying on the ground near a silver Mercedes-Benz, while a third man was found with gunshot wounds to both legs, in the car’s passenger seat.
The men on the ground had sustained gunshot wounds and were declared dead on the scene once paramedics arrived.
Media liaison officer for Netcare 911 Shawn Herbst said the third man was treated on scene before being transported to Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital for further care.
“The man had sustained gunshot wounds to the lower limbs and was treated on scene.
“He was transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition for further treatment,” said Herbst.
Cleveland SAPS spokesperson Capt Johan Jordaan said preliminary investigations by police revealed that about 28 bullet holes riddled the vehicle. This was after an exchange of gunfire between the vehicle’s occupants and an alleged number of unknown assailants.
“The shooting can possibly be linked to taxi violence. Information received on the scene pointed to this as a possible motive for the shooting,” said Jordaan. “Two of the men were taxi owners belonging to a taxi association in Johannesburg,” said Jordaan.
He said the injured man relinquished his licensed firearm to officers from JMPD who were first to arrive on the scene.
“He surrendered his licensed 45 calibre Beretta handgun, which had a visible serial number on it, to the authorities.
“Behind the vehicle was the body of an unknown man, possibly one of the suspects. He had been shot once in the head and once in the left side of his stomach. East of the intersection nearest to Cumberland Road was the body of the other deceased, who officers determined was the driver of the Mercedes-Benz.
“He’d sustained gunshots wounds to the head and hip. A licensed 45 calibre Norinco pistol was retrieved close to his body.”
Jordaan said numerous spent cartridges were recovered.
“We believe the casings came from an AK-47 and an R5 rifle. Inside the vehicle we found 45 calibre cartridges and one live round. A duty officer from the Taxi Violence Unit has been assigned and will investigate a double murder and attempted murder docket,” he said.
Attempts to get comment from Sizwe Transport Association on March 26 were unsuccessful.
