Taxi Association Official Gunned Down in Woodmead
A 52-year-old taxi association official was gunned down in Woodmead, Sandton, on Thursday night.
The shooting happened at around 10:30pm while the man and a male companion were in a parking area, when two attackers armed with automatic rifles approached and opened fire.
Victim Dies at the Scene
According to IOL, the official was declared dead on the scene. Authorities have not yet released details about the condition of the second man who was with him during the attack.
Possible Link to Taxi Route Disputes
According to Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, investigators believe the killing may be connected to ongoing tensions between rival taxi associations in Alexandra. The incident adds to a growing number of violent clashes linked to route and territory disputes in the province.
Police Launch Manhunt
Masondo confirmed that police have opened a murder case and launched a search for the gunmen. He appealed to members of the public with any information to report it to the nearest police station or contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
Also Read: CATA Taxi Boss Gunned Down on R300, Two Bodyguards Injured
Recent Violence Mirrors Earlier Cape Town Taxi Killing
The Woodmead attack comes barely two months after a senior member of the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) was shot dead while travelling along the R300 near Cape Town. The killing happened just days after a 30-day suspension on several contested taxi routes had been lifted.
The 32-year-old official, who chaired one of CATA’s major routes, was travelling with two bodyguards when their vehicle was ambushed on the southbound lane near the Somerset West bend. He died at the scene, while his bodyguards were rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds.
The incident occurred only two days after the Western Cape government reopened the routes, which had been temporarily closed to allow CATA and a rival association to negotiate following a series of deadly clashes earlier in the year.
Although the lifting of the ban was viewed as a sign of progress, the shooting reignited fears of renewed conflict within the region’s volatile taxi industry.