Durban - The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Sipho Hlomuka has called for the swift arrest of suspected hit men who ambushed and killed five men in two shooting incidents in oThongathi, north of Durban, last week.
The department said in one incident the three men who were killed were believed to be protectors of a local taxi boss, who is also the chairperson of one of the associations. In another incident, two men were killed. The shootings happened one after the other on Thursday about 4km apart.
“The taxi boss is believed to have survived.”
The department said police were following leads in the second incident.
Hlomuka condemned the latest spate of killings in KZN which are suspected to be related to taxi violence in the province.
According to the department, there were at least three incidents of suspected taxi violence last week alone.
“We are calling on the police to investigate the oThongathi incidents and all other incidents involving public transport must end. The police are following leads in all these recent cases. We strongly condemn the violent attack.
“These incidents have once again brought into the spotlight the issue of violence and stability in the public-transport sector. As government, we will engage with the law-enforcement heads and the leadership of the public-transport industry to discuss measures to end violence and bloodshed,” said Hlomuka.
The department said it was working hard to stabilise the taxi industry, with 246 taxi associations enjoying reasonable stability.
“Through the Public Regulatory Entity, government is making a number of interventions, including regulating implementing the resolutions of the National Taxi Lekgotla,” said the the department.