The long-running taxi war between the Gamede and Mabaso clans has led to the deployment of the National Intervention Unit (NIU) and the Hawks to Ezakheni. “All taxi violence incidents in the Ezakheni area are now being investigated by the Hawks,” confirmed police spokesperson Captain Charmaine Struwig.
As far back as August 12, the NIU became actively involved in combating taxi violence in Ladysmith. Two brothers in Ezakheni C-Section were shot at by a passing vehicle that evening, and R5 rifle cartridges were found at the scene.
The assailants fled. Shortly after the shooting, members of the NIU arrested 36-year-old Khanyisani Gamede. Police believed his arrest had dealt a decisive blow to the ongoing feud between the Gamede and Mabaso families, and the NIU left the area shortly afterwards. Sadly, on October 11, the two clans clashed again in an orgy of violence (dubbed by police and residents as the ‘October 11 Massacre’) that left 15 dead in two separate incidents.
This sparked Province to not just redeploy the NIU to the Ladysmith area, but to assemble a special task team of Hawks and Crime Intelligence Gathering (CIG) officers to investigate the violence. It was clear that although the fighting and deaths were happening in the Ladysmith area, the actual conflict was linked to lucrative Gauteng taxi routes.
A meeting orchestrated by MEC for Transport Willies Mchunu saw the two warring families hold a face-to-face meeting at the Town Hall on Sunday.
They promised to resolve their issues through dialogue. In the early hours of Monday morning, NIU officers raided houses in Steadville and Roosboom.
A 30-year-old suspect was arrested in Steadville after he was found in possession of unlicensed ammunition, and a 27-year-old suspect was arrested in Roosboom with an unlicensed firearm and ammo.
Both suspects are believed to be linked to the October 11 shootings. An Ezakheni police officer was also arrested and charged with corruption and defeating the course of justice, related to bail registration. This case is being investigated by the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Team.
More arrests are expected as the team hones in on all those involved in the ‘October 11 Massacre’. Let’s hope that the ‘October 11 Massacre’ puts an end to this devastating clan war.
