By Everson Luhanga
Unknown gunmen shot and killed a taxi patroller on Friday afternoon, and critically injured his colleague, who was rushed to hospital in Alexandra.
The two men are from the Alexandra Taxi Association (ATA)
The shooting happened during peak-hour traffic at the busy Alexandra Pan Afrika Mall in Johannesburg.
Today’s shooting and other recent killings have instilled fear among the top leadership of the Alexandra, Randburg, Sandton Taxi Association (Armsta) and ATA.
A source at one of the associations who spoke anonymously revealed that most top leaders are not reporting to their offices for fear of being followed.
Armsta spokesperson Tladi Lephonisa told Scrolla.Africa that two assailants driving a black Ford pulled up next to the patrollers, got out of the car and opened fire.
“They then drove off without saying a word and without taking anything from the victims,” he said.
Lephonisa said the association was worried about the killing of taxi operators in the area, but said there was no dispute between them.
“We don’t know why there are these killings. All these shootings and killings are related, but … there is no war between taxi operators.”
In recent months, several taxi operators have been targeted and some killed.
On 2 May this year, a taxi owner was shot and killed while sitting inside his car during rush hour traffic at the Pan Africa Mall.
Witnesses at the scene said the man was shot six times through the closed window of his car.
On 20 August, a group of suspects driving in a Toyota Hilux bakkie opened fire at two vehicles that taxi owners drove in Midrand.
The taxi owners were coming from a meeting and escorted by security officers. A shootout ensued and two bystanders were hit and sustained injuries.
On 28 August, a taxi owner driving a marked ATA vehicle was shot and killed at the Goldreich Street taxi rank in Hillbrow and a passerby was seriously injured.
A week before that, a taxi owner from the ATA was shot and killed at the Balfour Park Mall taxi rank.
Pictured above: The taxi-shooting crime scene at Alexandra Pan Africa Mall.
Source: Supplied
