Well-known Soweto Taxi boss Kwanele MKZ Makwanza has been killed in a drive-by shooting in Soweto.
According to the police, the incident took place on Sunday afternoon in Meadowlands Zone 1 around Rev Modise and Odendaal Road. He was rushed to Tshepo Themba hospital where he, however, succumbed to his injuries.
Makwanza’s death was officially confirmed by the police, however, no arrests have been made.
Police hunt down suspects
The police further stated that they are looking for the possible killers.
“Police have opened a case of murder and are searching for the suspects after a man reported to be the taxi owner was allegedly shot and killed in Meadowlands, Soweto, on Sunday, at approximately 14h45,” said Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo.
Masondo said the deceased was reportedly driving an Audi TT when unknown suspects opened fire at him.
“He was at Reverend Modise Road when was shot at by unknown suspects. The motive for the killing cannot be confirmed at this stage.”
In May, another KwaZulu-Natal taxi owner was put to killed by execution style.
Musawenkosi Simphiwe Maphumulo (48), a resident of Maqongqo, a small town west of Pietermaritzburg, was found dead in his yard by a local who was passing by. Maphumulo was a member of KwaGcina Taxi Association.
In Maclear, the Eastern Cape, incidents involving taxi violence claimed the lives of two people and injured twelve others in the same month.
Near one of the crime scenes, police said that they had taken four men into custody as they had firearms on them when the police spotted them.
Lt-Gen Nomthetheleli Mene, the commissioner of police for the Eastern Cape, urged the region’s rival taxi organisations to work out their problems amicably through discussion and compromise. This as the province experienced another loss of lives in Port St Johns at the beginning of the year.
