Two inter-metro taxi drivers allegedly gunned down, security beefed at Pretoria ranks
According to reports, one of the two taxi drivers was shot 11 times at the MTN/North taxi rank in Johannesburg CBD, while he had a full load of passengers.
Security at the Bosman and Jerusalem taxi ranks in the Pretoria CBD has been bolstered on Monday following the shooting and killing of two taxi drivers in Johannesburg last week.
The drivers were shot on Friday morning and evening.
According to reports, one of the two taxi drivers was shot 11 times at the MTN/North taxi rank in Johannesburg CBD, while he had a full load of passengers.
https://twitter.com/Teigh_do/status/1497109385339977754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
There was a shootout that happened at MTN/Noord Taxi Rank Johannesburg on Friday morning, the 25th of February 2022.
If you have any info, videos, pix… please contact 0659725172. Your help will be greatly appreciated 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/aqhbn0k1JH
— Penuel The Black Pen (@GodPenuel) February 28, 2022
Dude i was holding promo elements i stood there at started crying.
I heard 10 gun shots one after the other— Gigi (@Sis_Gugz) February 25, 2022
Dude i was holding promo elements i stood there at started crying.
I heard 10 gun shots one after the other— Gigi (@Sis_Gugz) February 25, 2022
The drivers allegedly worked for the same taxi owner and were part of the Johannesburg Pretoria Mabopane (JPM) transport association, which is affiliated to the Tshwane South African National Taxi Council (Santaco).
The drivers were both exiting the MTN taxi rank for Pretoria when bullets flew in their direction.
JPM spokesperson Sylvia Mathiba said the association’s drivers and management were shocked by the two deaths.
“We are still in pain over what happened. We don’t know what the motives for the killings might be.”
Mathiba said they were, however, in consultation with law enforcement and other relevant authorities to get to the bottom of the incident.
JPM chairman Thomas Masase said they condemned the killings and pleaded for calm between drivers and for amicable solutions to be found in any disputes.
Santaco regional spokesperson Mack Makata said one driver was gunned down in the morning and the other in the evening, on the same day.
Their names and ages are yet to be confirmed.
No other injuries were reported.
Makata said the killings were yet another concern for the taxi industry as the route of the drivers were not problematic.
“Such senseless killings have no place in our industry.”
“It’s really difficult for us to have any suspicions to the cause of the two killings as we are checking if there are internal squabbles on the ground.”
Makata said Santaco had also further activated its peace force team.
He said they were taking steps to ensure measures to prevent the killings from reaching Pretoria taxi ranks as the Bosman and Jerusalem taxi ranks were a huge concern.
He said measures include speaking to drivers, associations and searching commuters upon disembarking on trips.
“We urge drivers to report disputes with taxi regions associations to be dealt with.”
He also pleaded with “trigger happy” people to address associations when there were issues.
Makata said numerous issues were being dealt with by Santaco as they were occasionally raised by drivers.
He said drivers commonly had squabbles which led to killings over routes; however, solutions were usually found.
The killing of the two drivers brought the death toll to 13 taxi operators in the Tshwane operational region over the past six months.
Makata further urged passengers and witnesses that had been traumatised by the incident to contact Santaco to assist in counselling.
Police did not comment at the time of going to print.
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