Murder investigation launched after taxi driver killed in Delft

The shooting of a taxi driver at a Delft rank has authorities probing whether it is part of the wider taxi violence crisis.  

Police  are investigating the shooting of a taxi driver at a rank in Delft to determine if it is connected to the ongoing taxi violence crisis. A 30-year-old man was shot and killed while sitting inside his taxi at the Khayelitsha Taxi Rank on Delft Main Road on Wednesday evening

The operator has been confirmed as a member of the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta).

The driver was shot multiple times, his body riddled with gunshot wounds, was found lying across the driver’s seat, covered in blood, as bullet holes could be seen on the windscreen. 

But according to the association, preliminary information about the shooting is believed to be an isolated incident and not related to the recent bloody conflicts between Codeta and rivals Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) over routes between Khayelitsha and Strand.

Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that Delft police are investigating a case of murder and the motive for the attack forms part of the police investigation.

Van Wyk reported: “Circumstances surrounding a shooting incident on Wednesday at 6.50pm at the Khayelitsha Taxi Rank in Main Road, Delft South are under investigation.

“According to reports Delft SAPS members attended to the crime scene as mentioned and upon arrival, they found the 30-year-old male lying in a taxi across the front seat with multiple gunshot wounds to his body.

“A murder case was opened for investigation. The motive for this shooting incident forms part of the police investigation and no arrests have been made yet.”

According to Codeta chairperson Nceba Enge the information they have has convinced them that this is not taxi related and rather an isolated incident.

Nceba said: “We are busy with that incident because we do not have a clue as to what happened or what is the circumstances surrounding this incident, that is what we are trying to figure out. The shooting incident is not taxi related, it could be an isolated incident.”

Police are appealing to anyone with information about this shooting incident to kindly contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the mobile application MySAPS anonymously.

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Cape Argus