One killed, six wounded in alleged Eastern Cape taxi boss hit

Police in the Eastern Cape are searching for two suspects believed to have shot and killed one person, wounding six others at the Mdantsane Highway taxi rank on Tuesday afternoon.

It is alleged that the two male suspects shot at a white car with two occupants. A 47 year-old man was fatally wounded, while another sustained gunshot wounds to the upper body, five other people were also hit by stray bullets.

Police spokesperson Thembinkosi Kinana says people who have more information must come forward.

Kinana says, “A total of six victims aged between 25 and 30 were rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention, police are investigating a murder case with six counts of attempted murder.”

“No arrest has been made at this stage; the circumstances surrounding the incident are currently under investigation. We do not want to make any speculations at this point in time in relation to the motive behind the incident,” says Kinana.

Transport and Community Safety MEC Weziwe Tikana-Gxotiwe has condemned the shooting, saying it was a hit on a taxi boss.

Tikana-Gxotiwe’s spokesperson Unathi Binqose says the MEC has been holding meetings with the industry in an effort to end the violence.

Binqose says, “The MEC for Transport and Community Safety in Eastern Cape also condemned in the strongest possible terms, guerrilla styled hits on taxi bosses in the province. The MEC says if one taxi boss is not safe, it means no one in our communities are safe and the incident of Mdantsane Highway,  two bystanders were caught by stray bullets. It is called on all those with information to please come forward and help arrest assassins as well as the masterminds behind these hits.”

#sapsEC #SAPS has launched a manhunt for 2 armed suspects who shot and injured 6 people and killed one on 17/05 at Mdantsane Highway taxi rank. Police are investigating a murder case with six counts of attempted murder. #CrimeStop #MySAPSApp MEhttps://t.co/tDqU7LM9tv pic.twitter.com/RitS4dAQCe

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) May 18, 2022