Nyanga officers registered two counts of attempted murder following a shooting incident at the Nyanga taxi rank at about 18:15 on Friday 5 September.
Provincial police spokesperson Lt-Col Malcolm Pojie said preliminary investigation revealed that a disciplinary officer and bodyguards were leaving the rank when they were ambushed by unknown gunmen.
“Two men sustained gunshot wounds and were transported to a medical facility for treatment. The motive for the attack forms part of ongoing investigation. The assailants are yet to be arrested,” said Pojie.
Nyanga Community Policing Forum (CPF) secretary Dumisani Qwebe urged the local taxi associations to resolve their differences before further escalation of the tension.
He said many innocent people died or were injured during shootings.
“We urged the Department of Mobility to intervene and talk to the taxi associations before it gets worse.
“We don’t know the motivation behind the incident, but all we know is there is a tension between members of Cata and Codeta. We are worried as their fighting continues,” said Qwebe.
He said as the CPF they are saying “enough is enough”.
Western Cape Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku met directly with the leadership of Codeta and Cata to address tensions on Friday 5 September.
He said several contentious issues were discussed and both parties agreed to ensure peace and stability.
Sileku said a joint session between the two mother bodies and his department will be convened urgently to consolidate everything and work towards lasting solutions.
“Violence and lawlessness have no place in our communities or our transport system. The safety of commuters and residents is our first priority, and we will use every legal and regulatory mechanism at our disposal to restore stability. We have made it clear to all parties that disputes must be resolved through lawful processes,” said Sileku, adding that they are acting to ensure safety and to protect the resident’s rights to a safe reliable transport.
He said the department remains committed to prioritising safety of residents in the province.
