Police have launched an investigation into the discovery of the body believed to be that of a suspected missing taxi driver in dense vegetation in Sir Lowry’s Pass earlier this morning (Wednesday 18 June).
The body of a man was found by wood collectors approximately 100 m from the N2 highway and mere days after his abandoned taxi was found in the same vicinity on Sunday (15 June).
Taxi tensions
The discovery of the body comes after taxi tensions flared up in the Somerset West area last week. An ongoing route dispute between operators erupted into a disruptive blockade around the public transport interchange on Monday 9 June, leaving commuters stranded. The situation prompted authorities to deploy police reinforcements and appoint a mediator to de-escalate the conflict following recent fatal shootings reported in Mfuleni and Lwandle (“Taxi dispute erupts in Somerset West,” DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette, 11 June).
The Mini-Bus Taxi Task Team (MBTTT) convened a special meeting on Thursday 12 June to address the conflict between operators in Somerset West and Mfuleni. A joint statement subsequently released by the Western Cape Government, the City of Cape Town, and the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) Western Cape acknowledged the “deeply troubling circumstances” that necessitated the meeting, but reported that “meaningful engagement” had taken place as officials reviewed the situation.
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the deceased taxi driver’s death is directly linked to the taxi conflict, but the investigation continues.
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