Kensington taxi shooting leaves driver dead and passengers injured
Road rage
A 28-year old man is expected to appear in court following the brutal murder of a taxi driver in a suspected road rage incident in Kensington on Friday.
Image: File
A 28-year-old suspect is set to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court after a Kensington taxi driver was gunned down in his own vehicle, leaving three passengers injured.
According to police, the man caught a taxi on Friday, pulled out a gun and shot the driver multiple times while also injuring three other passengers before fleeing.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi explained: “Reports suggested that the driver of a minibus taxi with three passengers stopped this morning, Friday August 15 at about 5.50am, near the corner of 16th Avenue and Voortrekker Roads in Kensington when an unidentified man boarded the vehicle.
“The man drew a pistol and shot the driver from behind. The driver intended to respond, however, multiple gunshots then followed which resulted in him sustaining fatal injuries and injuries to three passengers.”
He added that the suspect got out of the vehicle and fled to a nearby getaway vehicle with the firearm of the deceased taxi driver in his possession.
The driver was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel while the injured passengers were transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
The suspect was arrested after a manhunt was launched and he is expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrates court facing charges of murder and three counts of attempted murder.
A taxi driver was shot and killed in a suspected retaliation incident on Friday.
Image: Leon Knipe
The motive for the attack is believed to be retaliation after the suspect and taxi driver allegedly had a previous argument over a knocked-off side mirror.
Ward councillor Cheslyn Steenberg told the Cape Argus sister publication, Daily Voice that he condemns the incident and has extended his condolences to the taxi driver’s family.
Steenberg says: “Given that we have a current taxi violence in the City I want to call on all our stakeholders to embrace restraint and to talk on all these issues without having to shoot one another.
He added whether the shooting incident is due to taxi violence or an alleged retaliation he cannot confirm, however when these matters occur they become retaliatory.
Anyone with information that can assist the investigation is urged to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the MySAPS mobile application anonymously.
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Cape Argus