Taxi owner from KZN assassinated

A 39-year-old taxi owner from Oakford in Kwazulu-Natal was assassinated on Wick Street in the Verulam CBD on Sunday Afternoon.

Arrive Alive Reaction officers responded to the Verulam CBD after hearing rapid gunfire in the vicinity of a bus rank.

While driving to the scene, they were routed back to their RUSA headquarters after the controller alerted them of a Foton Minibus taxi that drove onto their premises at a high speed.

Attempts to save the taxi owner

It is reported that the man was screaming for assistance and when the medics went to assist they found a man’s body in the passengers seat riddled with bullets.

The man was identified to be Siyabonga Khumalo, a taxi owner at Kwazulu-Natal.

“The male who drove the bullet-riddled taxi stated that Khumalo was seated alone in his vehicle at the bus rank when three men with high calibre rifles walked up to him and opened fire.” read the statement

He allegedly ran to the deceased’s aid when the suspects opened fire in his direction and the fled the scene in a silver VW Polo that was parked on the R102 behind the bus rank.

The registration of the car is unknown.

The man reportedly proceeded to the vehicle and noticed the deceased slumped in the driver’s seat. He moved him over to the passengers side and drove him to RUSA offices with the hopes that he is still alive.

Several high caliber spent catridges were recovered in the taxi and the motive for the shooting is believed to be related to ongoing taxi violence.

Taxi shooting: Three drivers injured as police launch manhunt

Three taxi drivers were shot and injured at a taxi rank in Eikenhoff, Johannesburg.

The victims were reportedly at the taxi rank waiting to load passengers when an unknown number of armed men approached at about 7:30am and started firing randomly at the taxi rank.

The three taxi drivers sustained gunshot injuries and were later taken to the nearest hospital for treatment.

Compiled by Kgomotso Phooko

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