Gauteng National Taxi Alliance (NTA) chairperson Thamsanqa Moyo was shot dead on Thursday morning while driving along the Soweto Highway.
Gauteng police escalate search for Thamsanqa Moyo killers
Police confirmed that the 58-year-old leader was ambushed by unknown gunmen, who opened fire on his car before fleeing the scene in a minibus taxi and a Toyota Yaris.
NTA spokesperson Theo Malele told reporters:
“Details are still sketchy at the moment, and we do not know why this happened. All we can confirm is that our provincial chairperson was shot and killed.”
A murder case has been opened, and police have launched a manhunt for the attackers.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo said the taxi violence task team has been assigned to lead the investigation.
Masondo urged the public to assist:
“We are appealing to anyone with information that can help in the investigation or assist in the apprehension of the suspects to please call the nearest police station or Crime Stop on 08600 10111. Information can also be given anonymously on the MySAPS App.”
At this stage, the motive has not been confirmed, but police have not ruled out the possibility that the killing is linked to ongoing taxi industry disputes.
Fears of a taxi war loom in the wake of the murder
Moyo’s killing has sparked fears of renewed violence in Gauteng’s volatile taxi industry.
His tenure as chairperson of the National Taxi Alliance in Gauteng was marked by bitter disputes over routes in Soweto, especially between the Witwatersrand African Taxi Association and the Nancefield Dube West Association.
These rival groups have clashed for years over who controls profitable routes in the area.
Taxi violence in South Africa has a long and bloody history. Associations often fight over routes, which are essentially business territories. A route determines who is allowed to pick up passengers in a particular area.
When rival groups contest the same routes, conflicts can quickly turn deadly.
Transport experts warn that Moyo’s murder could destabilise already fragile relations between rival taxi associations. If retaliatory attacks occur, commuters who rely on taxis for daily travel may be caught in the crossfire.
The taxi industry is a vital part of South Africa’s transport system, carrying millions of people every day. But it is also notorious for power struggles and violent disputes.
For now, the police investigation will determine whether Moyo’s murder was a targeted hit linked to taxi politics or if another motive was at play.
Until then, the Gauteng taxi industry — already tense — faces a period of uncertainty and fear.