A deadly shooting at Mfuleni taxi rank in Cape Town has prompted authorities to offer a cash reward of R100,000 for any information that can help police catch the suspects.
What’s the latest in the Mfuleni taxi rank shooting?
The shooting happened on Friday morning, leaving four people dead and three others wounded.
According to police reports, several armed men stormed the taxi rank’s office area and opened fire, targeting taxi owners. A commuter was also caught in the gunfire and injured during the chaos.
Emergency teams responded quickly, with paramedics and police arriving to treat the injured and secure the area. Witnesses described the situation as terrifying, with people running in all directions to escape the bullets. At least three wounded people were carried out on stretchers and taken to nearby hospitals.
The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) in the Western Cape condemned the attack and urged taxi operators not to retaliate. The council’s provincial chairperson, Mandla Hermanus, said they are disturbed by the violence and stressed the need for calm and restraint.
“We urge all operators to remain calm and exercise maximum restraint. This incident must not be allowed to derail the efforts underway to build peace and unity within the taxi industry across the province,” Hermanus said.
SANTACO has confirmed it will be meeting with leaders from the CATA and CODETA taxi associations. These meetings aim to understand the reasons behind the attack and prevent more violence from breaking out.
Although no official motive has been confirmed, police believe the shooting might be linked to disputes over a taxi route between Mfuleni and Somerset West. In parts of South Africa, such disputes can become violent, especially when different taxi associations are involved in competition over routes and income.
Western Cape Police Spokesperson Novela Potelwa said that the investigation is ongoing and that more details will be shared as they become available.
One woman shared online that her sister had narrowly escaped the shooting.
“This morning [Friday, 6 June 2025) I saw a post that there’s a shooting happening in Mfuleni taxi rank and 4 people died and more were injured. Then a few minutes after, my sister texts me that she almost died but she managed to run for her life. Yho haysana, just another day Ekapa,” she wrote.
The area remains closed off while detectives collect evidence.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the shooting or the people responsible to come forward.
The R100,000 reward is meant to encourage witnesses to help bring justice to the victims and prevent further violence.
