A CATA taxi boss and a Hanover Park taxi driver have been shot dead within 12 hours in two separate incidents on the Cape Flats.
On Tuesday afternoon at 4.15pm, Bellville Cata vice-chairperson, Tyhilile Mqhele, was killed by a lone gunman while sitting in his silver VW Polo parked in front of Tafelberg Furnishers in Durban Road, Bellville.
He was shot several times through the window on the driver’s side.
The shooter ran off on foot and Mqhele died of his injuries in the car.
At the scene, the Daily Voice spoke to shocked taxi drivers, who said Mqhele was well-known and a loving husband and father.
“This is so shocking and we cannot believe it. His family will be destroyed by this,” said one driver who asked not to be named.
“We hope to assist police as much as possible and hope the CCTV cameras outside the shops can help us figure out who did this.”
Cata spokesperson, Andile Seyamo, said he was devastated to hear of the passing of his colleague, reports the Cape Times.
SCENE: Mqhele’s VW Polo
“We worked together (in the) same office,” Seyamo said.
He said Mqhele was not only Cata’s vice-chairman, but “he was also affiliated as a chairperson of the Bellville Taxi Association (Belta)”.
Transport and Public Works MEC, Bonginkosi Madikizela, has condemned the murder of Mqhele, calling it “callous”.
He urged the leadership of the Western Cape branch of the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) to impress on their members to refrain from acts of retaliation and to call for calm on both sides of the historical dispute.
In the second incident on Wednesday morning, a 36-year-old taxi driver, known to the Daily Voice only as Spiky, was gunned down just after 5am at the Hanover Park taxi rank.
GUNNED DOWN: Spiky, 36
He sustained several gunshot wounds to his upper body and was rushed to the Heideveld Day Hospital, where he later died.
SAPS’ Captain FC van Wyk says murder cases have been opened for investigation with no arrests yet.
Anyone with info of these incidents are urged to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.