Eighteen suspects have appeared in the Athlone Magistrates Court on Thursday, 16 January, in connection with a deadly shooting near the Nyanga Taxi Rank in Cape Town. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, 14 January, has been linked to ongoing taxi violence in the area. The case has been postponed to 23 January for further proceedings.
The accused, aged between 24 and 51, face multiple charges, including murder, attempted murder, public violence, discharging a firearm in a municipal area, and malicious damage to property. The shooting resulted in the death of a minibus taxi security guard and left seven others wounded.
During the investigation, police confiscated a total of 20 firearms. Brigadier Novela Potelwa, the police spokeswoman, said that a joint operation was carried out by various specialized units, including the national intervention unit, K9 unit, drone unit, and provincial combat team. The operation aimed to monitor movements around the taxi rank after gunfire erupted between two rival parties.
“The deployment prevented further violence, but numerous commuters were left stranded due to the shooting. Our teams continue to maintain a heavy presence in the area and surrounding hotspots,” said Potelwa. She noted that the gunfire appeared to involve two rival ‘security companies,’ underscoring the alarming prevalence of organized crime in South Africa.
Meanwhile, Ian Cameron, chairman of the Portfolio Committee on Police, condemned the violence, particularly in public spaces like taxi ranks. “It is unacceptable that such areas are rife with illegal firearms capable of causing mass casualties,” Cameron said. He called on taxi operators to prioritize commuter safety and emphasized the need for stronger efforts to remove illicit firearms from the industry.
1 comment
3rzlm6