Armed officers opened fire at a taxi-level in central Johannesburg on Thursday, March 20, killing four people, a second incident related to violent competition between the taxi associations.
The attack occurred a day ago in a similar shooting in the Katlehong area in the southeast of the city, which killed three taxi drivers.
Police reported that a group of armed personnel started shooting early on Thursday, March 20 in a Jepstown taxi. Among the victims were taxi drivers, taxi queue marshals and two hawkers. Three other people (a college student, a taxi driver and a passenger) were injured in the attack. Police spokesman Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that the shooting was suspected to be linked to ongoing taxi violence.
Three taxi drivers were killed when an unidentified gunman opened fire at a taxi-level in Katlehong on Wednesday, March 19. Two passengers were injured in the attack, which police said involved shooters targeting people at the scene.
South Africa has a long history of deadly conflict in its minibus taxi industry, a highly competitive and profitable sector that is the main mode of transportation for millions. Assassination and violent disputes between rival taxi groups have lasted for decades.
According to police statistics, the country continues to struggle with high murder rates, with an average daily killing rate of about 75 times. However, these figures do not clearly state the deaths related to the long-standing conflict in the taxi industry.
