Cops probe death of British national believed to have been shot dead during taxi strike

10th August 2023 By: News24Wire

 Cops probe death of British national believed to have been shot dead during taxi strike

Photo by: Reuters

Police are continuing with their investigation into the death of a British national, who was killed in a shooting that is believed to be related to the ongoing taxi stayaway in Cape Town.

The 40-year-old man was killed in Nyanga last Thursday. Two other people and an infant who were with him at the time were taken to hospital for treatment for shock, police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie said.

Taxi operators and drivers embarked on the stayaway last Thursday to protest over grievances related to the City of Cape Town's impoundment of their vehicles.

The stayaway has been accompanied by violence.

Rocks and bricks have been hurled at passing cars and municipal vehicles, and Golden Arrow buses have been vandalised and torched. The strike has already cost Golden Arrow Bus Services millions after 10 of its buses were torched during the strike action.

Speaking in Cape Town on Tuesday afternoon, Police Minister Bheki Cele said the British man was one of five people killed since the province-wide taxi strike started last week.

On Friday, Law Enforcement Advancement Plan LEAP) officer Zanikhaya Kwinana, 32, was killed in a drive-by shooting, also in Nyanga. He and two colleagues were carrying out patrols during the strike.

On Saturday, a man was killed in Mfuleni.

On Monday, two people were killed during violence and road blockades related to the strike - one in Airport Approach Road and another in Borcherds Quarry Road.

As the mayhem continues, the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has been locked in negotiations with transport authorities.

At the heart of the dispute is a disagreement over the legislation governing the impoundment of vehicles.

The City of Cape Town says the taxis were impounded for offences under the National Land Transport Act. 

But according to Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, the City is adding sanctions that do not exist in national legislation and that the impoundments were "not in terms of the law.