Taxi shooting: Three drivers injured as police launch manhunt

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

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.

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“The motive for the shooting cannot be confirmed at this stage although it is suspected to be related to taxi violence,” Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said.

Masondo said the suspects were allegedly dropped off by a white Hyundai and a white Toyota Quest with unconfirmed registration numbers.

Gauteng police have launched a manhunt for armed suspects.

Calm restored in Cape Town after taxi rank shooting

Calm has been restored at the taxi rank on the Cape Town Station deck, next to Grand Central shopping centre, after a shooting broke out last weeek Wednesday.

There were fears that the ongoing violent protests in parts of the country would flare to the Western Cape but the city has given its assurance that the situation is now normal following Wednesday’s shooting in the city.

The Western Cape government has put out a safety readiness plan should violent unrest taking place in other parts of South Africa spill over into the province.

Police said an argument broke out between disgruntled drivers of rival associations on Wednesday morning at 10.10am at the Cape Town taxi rank.

“According to reports the commuters became fearful and fled in different directions,” the police said in a statement.

This resulted in a crowd of people in the vicinity running into Grand Central Mall, which then sparked fears of looting.

Shop owners closed their doors and law enforcement officers moved the crowd from the mall.

The city said no damage to property was reported.

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Additional information by Siyanda Ndlovu