The Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Investigation Unitise investigating several incidents of alleged taxi violence in the Lusikisiki and Port St Johns areas on Wednesday, 2023.
Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said that it is alleged that a taxi driver and his conductor were kidnapped and hijacked by four males driving a red VW Golf. At the same time, they were on their way to Mswakazi location.
“The suspects drove the victims in their taxi to the Mpantu taxi rank in Port St Johns, where they opened fire on the owner of the taxi and his mechanic. The taxi owner (44) was fatally wounded while the mechanic sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment,” said Naidu.
She said that the taxi driver and his conductor were after taken back to where they were hijacked and were shot and killed.
According to her, a case of two murder counts and kidnapping is under investigation.
“Also, on the same day, it is alleged that a revenge attack emanated when the opposition taxi association allegedly stopped a Quantum taxi and stabbed the driver, and his conductor stabbed the driver and his conductor, who managed to flee. The was set alight. The whereabouts of the two are unknown. No case has been opened as yet.”
Naidu added that the police recovered a burnt-out taxi at Second Beach in Port St Johns. She said that circumstances and information relating to this incident are unknown.
“No case has been opened. A team of dedicated investigators from the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Investigation Unit is investigating these taxi-related cases.
