The death of a Carletonville United Taxi Association (CUTA) official ended a period of relative calm in the area as police investigate a fatal bridge ambush involving high-calibre rounds.

Fundikuhle Zungu, 30, died in Carletonville Hospital on May 3 shortly after a shooting near a blue Toyota Corolla left his vehicle riddled with bullet holes, reported Carletonville Herald.

Police were called to the scene at the Khutsong Extension 5 bridge at approximately 10:20 on Sunday. Upon arrival, emergency medical personnel were already attending to the victim next to a vehicle that had two bullet holes in the bonnet. Investigators recovered several empty 9mm and rifle cartridges scattered across the scene.

Zungu, who had been shot several times in his upper body, was unable to speak to officers due to his injuries. He was immediately transported to hospital, where he passed away at approximately 13:00 the same day. He was later identified as a taxi marshal for the CUTA.

History of local taxi conflict

The case is currently being investigated by the police’s specialised taxi violence unit. This latest killing follows a string of violent incidents that gripped the area late last year:

• November 17: The murder of Tshokolo Tedile, a taxi owner who was shot in the back of the head in Blybank.
• November 7: A mass shooting at the Blybank taxi rank where gunmen killed three people and injured four others.
• December: A police crackdown resulted in the arrested seven suspects linked to taxi violence in the West Rand and the confiscation of eight firearms, including two AK-47 rifles and six pistols.

In January, members of the South African National Taxi Council visited the families of those killed in previous months to provide support and school uniforms. However, this weekend’s ambush suggests that despite the arrests and community outreach, tensions within the local industry have reached a breaking point once again.

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