Two men arrested for shooting and killing a taxi driver on the R71 near Mankweng
The taxi, from Mpumalanga, was transporting 15 students from the University of Limpopo when the driver was stopped by local taxi operators who demanded permits from him.
POLOKWANE – Police in Mankweng have arrested two suspects between the ages of 30 and 37-years-old, for murder, following a taxi violence incident in the early hours of Saturday morning, 1 June along the R71 in Makanye.
Police spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe explained that the taxi, which is originally from Kaboweni in Mpumalanga, came to collect students from the University of Limpopo (UL) for winter break.
You might also want to read:Â Polokwane High Court hands heavy sentences to taxi violence culprits
“While travelling out of Mankweng, the driver of the taxi, who was transporting 15 UL students, was pulled off the road and stopped by a group of taxi operators who demanded a road permit. Conflict ensued and one person produced a firearm and shot at the taxi driver several times, killing him instantly,” Ngoepe explained.
He added that two suspects were arrested within a few hours of the incident and during the arrest, one licensed firearm believed to be the weapon used, was also seized.
The suspects will appear before the Mankweng Magistrates Court, soon.
Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba, has condemned the murder, saying the behavior of taxi operators along roads in the province is a matter of concern to police.
“Members of taxi associations who continue perpetrating these types of incidents are going to be dealt with mercilessly and without compromise,” General Ledwaba concluded.
