Four killed in Port Shepstone CBD
The shooting which left many with serious injuries happened when a group of armed men allegedly opened fire on a vehicle.
There seems to be no end to alleged taxi violence in the Ugu District as four people in a taxi were shot dead at the Port Shepstone Taxi Rank on Tuesday this week.
The shooting which left many with serious injuries happened when a group of armed men allegedly opened fire on a vehicle.
Craig Botha, KwaZulu Private Ambulance Service spokesperson who responded to the scene with other security services and police, said four patients had sustained fatal injuries before emergency services arrived.
The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety, and Liaison, Sipho Hlomuka said preliminary reports from police indicate that unknown men approached a taxi and opened fire on occupants.
Hlomuka said the Department of Transport (DoT) is aware of a long-standing dispute involving taxi associations operating between Port Shepstone and the Eastern Cape, adding that there is currently an ongoing court matter around disputes between these associations.
He added that he has appealed to the police and all other law enforcement agencies to increase their deployment and visibility to protect the lives of commuters in Port Shepstone.
“As government, we have always stated that there are various avenues to resolve conflict without resorting to violence. Violence has never resolved any conflict. Instead, innocent lives are lost. As government, we shall continue to encourage dialogue in order to reach any common understanding. We have directed the police, the Public Transport Enforcement Unit from the DoT and local traffic authorities to increase visibility and patrols within the premises of the taxi rank. We wish to extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wish those injured a speedy recovery,” said Hlomuka.
South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) Ugu regional secretary Richard Mchunu said the ongoing shootings are worrying because they do not know who are behind the shootings, who are they targeting and why.
Mchunu said they are relying on police investigations to see who is behind the killings.
Meanwhile, Port Shepstone Executive Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Aadil Moola said they are concerned about the shooting in Port Shepstone and the alleged taxi violence.
“What we are trying to do now is to get business as well as the taxi owners to meet with law enforcement agencies and SAPS so that we can come up with some possible solution to the problem. We understand that it is not a quick fix, it is something that is going to take some time to bring all parties to the table. We understand that the way this industry works, there is going to be some sort of retaliation, so I think the first thing for us to do is for us to be on high alert and to bring the relevant stakeholders to find a way forward,” said Moola.
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