Taxi industry serial killings suspect nabbed
“We are confident that the investigation team will unearth more information to ensure that the suspect receives a harsh sentence."
A suspect allegedly linked to a series of killings in the taxi industry was arrested by the Gauteng Traffic Police and SAPS on Tuesday.
Traffic police spokesperson Sello Maremane said that while the 37-year-old was arrested in Katlehong, in the Ekurhuleni policing precinct, he was allegedly also linked to a shooting incident that happened outside the Pretoria pathology services last year.
He was arrested by officers attached to the GTP public transport intervention and SAPS public order policing units.
The man was said to have been found in possession of an unlicenced firearm and live ammunition when he was arrested.
“An investigation into the suspect serial killer in the taxi industry continues at this stage,” Maremane said, adding the 37-year-old would appear in court soon.
He would face charges relating to murder, illegal possession of firearms and live ammunition.
“We are confident that the investigation team will unearth more information to ensure the suspect receives a harsh sentence,” Maremane said.
“GTP commends the work of the members belonging to the public transport intervention unit and SAPS in the province for acting swiftly to arrest the suspect linked to a series of killings in the taxi industry,” Maremane said.
“We appeal to taxi operators not to take the law into their own hands by killing each other in an effort to resolves their conflicts,” Maremane said.
During the incident outside the Pretoria pathology services in August 2020, nine suspects were arrested after a provincial task team investigating taxi violence carried out an intelligence-driven operation where they were tracing a suspect who was believed to be involved in taxi violence.
At the time, police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapeo Peters said information led the team to Gezina, but when officers tried to intercept the suspect – who was travelling in a convoy of three cars – a shooting erupted.
Police were said to have returned fire.
Overall, two law enforcement officers – one belonging to the traffic police and another to the SAPS – were injured while one person was shot and killed in the incident.
The deceased was Joseph Sikhakhane, who was said to have been at the pathology services to collect the body of a relative for transportation to KawZulu-Natal.
A month later, another taxi driver was gunned down while driving near the corner of R566 Road and Doreen Avenue in Rosslyn.
At the time, provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela said: “Taxi violence poses a huge threat to the safety and the lives of innocent commuters.”
Multiple other incidents of taxi violence of have occurred in the taxi industry across various townships and neighbourhoods in Tshwane.
However, few arrests have been made to this regard.
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