W Cape Condemns Taxi Rank Shooting and Triple Murder Amid Safety Concerns

The shooting unfolded just a day after MEC Sileku had visited the Nyanga Terminus as part of an ongoing road user education and commuter safety outreach campaign.

Western Cape MEC for Mobility, Isaac Sileku, has urged law enforcement agencies to act with urgency following a deadly shooting at the Nyanga Terminus Taxi Rank on Wednesday morning. The attack, which has sent shockwaves through the public transport sector, claimed the lives of two women and left eight others injured.

According to initial reports from the South African Police Service (SAPS), all ten victims were affiliated with the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA). The group was en route to a scheduled CATA meeting near the Cape Town International Airport when their Sprinter minibus taxi came under fire from unidentified assailants. The brazen attack has raised further concerns about targeted violence within the taxi industry.

A Devastating Attack in a Critical Transport Hub

The shooting unfolded just a day after MEC Sileku had visited the Nyanga Terminus as part of an ongoing road user education and commuter safety outreach campaign. Known as one of Cape Town’s busiest and most volatile transport interchanges, the Nyanga Taxi Rank has historically been a hotspot for taxi-related tensions and violent crime.

Police confirmed that the two women died on the scene, while seven female passengers and one male passenger sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics and rapid-response teams transported the injured to nearby healthcare facilities, where they are receiving urgent medical care.

MEC Sileku: “Violence Cannot and Will Not Be Tolerated”

Deeply shaken by the tragedy, MEC Sileku condemned the shooting as a brutal and senseless act.

“I am heartbroken by this tragedy. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased and those currently recovering in the hospital,” he said.

He called on law enforcement authorities to move swiftly in identifying and arresting the perpetrators, emphasizing the need for community cooperation. Sileku appealed to anyone with information — however small — to come forward to support the investigation.

“Violence of any kind, especially in spaces meant for safe public transport and daily commuting, cannot and will not be tolerated,” he added. “We must work together to restore safety and dignity in our taxi ranks and the sector in general.”

The MEC reassured the public that the Department of Mobility remains committed to assisting policing agencies, improving surveillance in transport hubs, and promoting calm within the taxi industry.

Police Launch Manhunt, Intensify Taxi Violence Investigations

SAPS officers have launched a comprehensive investigation into the shooting, deploying detectives from the provincial organized crime unit to pursue multiple leads. While the motive remains under investigation, taxi-related violence has historically been linked to disputes over routes and operational territories.

Authorities have vowed to increase visibility around major transport hubs, especially in Nyanga, which has seen previous incidents of targeted attacks related to taxi industry conflicts.

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Lentegeur Community Reeling After Triple Murder Linked to Gang Activity

In a separate incident highlighting the province’s escalating crime concerns, police discovered three bodies inside a silver VW Polo at the corner of Hillcrest Road and Park Way in Montclair, Lentegeur, on the same morning.

The victims — two men and one woman, all believed to be in their 20s — sustained fatal gunshot wounds. Paramedics declared all three deceased at the scene.

Preliminary investigations suggest the killings are gang-related, consistent with patterns of retaliatory violence and territorial disputes in the Mitchells Plain policing cluster.

Provincial Commissioner: “Gangsterism Has No Place in Our Society”

Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General (Advocate) Thembisile Patekile, condemned the murders in the strongest terms.

“Gangsterism has no place in our society. The SAPS will continue to exert pressure on these criminal networks until every individual involved in violent crimes is brought to justice,” he said.

Specialized detectives from the anti-gang unit and homicide teams have been assigned to the case and are following up on multiple leads. Police have stepped up patrols in hotspot areas to prevent retaliatory violence.

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Calls for Community Cooperation as Violence Spikes Across the Province

Both incidents — the Nyanga taxi shooting and the Lentegeur triple murder — underscore the ongoing security challenges in the Western Cape, where gang violence and taxi-related disputes continue to pose threats to commuters and residents.

Authorities are urging the public to report suspicious activities or provide information through:

• Crime Stop hotline: 08600 10111

• MySAPS mobile app (anonymous tip submissions)

Government leaders reaffirm that restoring public safety requires strong collaboration between communities, policing agencies, local government, and the transport sector.