Police seek public’s help regarding killings of taxi drivers
Police spokesperson, Warrant officer, Isaac Mculu said they needed help in solving the case with the incident that occurred on November 3 at around 19:00 where a taxi driver was shot and killed at the corner of Alwyn Street and Solomon Mahlangu Road.
Silverton police station pleaded with passengers or eyewitnesses to come forward with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects behind a recent spate of taxi driver killings.
Mamelodi Amalgamated taxi association (Malta) and Mamelodi local and long-distance taxi association have so far lost five taxi drivers who were shot and killed during hijackings and robberies.
Police spokesperson Warrant officer Isaac Mculu said they needed help in solving the incident on November 3 at around 19:00 where a taxi driver was shot and killed at the corner of Alwyn Street and Solomon Mahlangu Road.
“The taxi driver was driving from the Pretoria CBD to Mamelodi East when one of the passengers got off. Suddenly, three unknown African males emerged from the darkness and held the passengers at gunpoint trying to rob them.
“All the passengers got out of the taxi and ran away into different directions.”
The taxi driver was, however, shot twice and died on the scene.
Following the spate of killings, taxi associations threatened to shut down Mamelodi when they handed out a memorandum of grievances at Silverton police on November 5 demanding police protection at identified hotspots.
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Deputy chairperson of Malta, Stemmer Monageng, said so far there was no update from the police, apart from a meeting that was held at the Mamelodi East police station last week.
However, the taxi industry was currently conducting their own operation at taxi routes 24 hours every day.
“Searching and doing whatever that is necessary to keep our taxi drivers safe,” said Monageng.
“Our first operation was last week Friday, whereby we nearly made an arrest when there was an attempted hijacking; but the suspects managed to flee the scene.
“We have identified the hotspots. We demand police visibility at Solomon Mahlangu Drive and on the corner of Zambesi Drive and Moloto Road,” said Monageng.
“We are fed up with these killings and something needs to be done quickly because our passengers are also victims as they are robbed in the process.
“Police minister Bheki Cele and the safety MEC must intervene,” said Monageng.
Colonel Karel Swanepoel of the Silverton police station said they will look at the memorandum and respond within the given time.
He said the police have already started with the investigation and the case was assigned to a task team in the Tshwane district office.
Anyone with any information regarding the whereabouts of the passengers who were inside the taxi and the suspects can call Silverton SAPS Client Service Centre at 012 845 4000.
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