Taxi industry violence has again claimed a prominent life, with Patrick Khulela confirmed shot dead in a suspected taxi-related ambush in Gauteng.
Khulela, a well-known taxi boss and businessman, was killed on Saturday near the Voortrekker Road off-ramp to the N12 in Alberton, outside Benoni. Police say two other men were seriously injured in the attack and that investigators recovered high-calibre ammunition cartridges at the scene—pointing to the use of heavy weapons.
The death was confirmed by Chief Zwelivumile Sabata of Ncorha in Cofimvaba. He said the shooting triggered a major emergency response after police received reports of an attack involving gunfire.
According to Gauteng police, three men were shot during the incident. One man died at the scene, while two others were left seriously injured. At the scene, a white Mercedes-Benz GLE was found riddled with bullet holes, adding to fears that the attack was planned and carried out with intent.
Spent cartridges believed to be from an AK-47 rifle were also recovered, which raised concerns about the escalating firepower being used in taxi-related disputes.
Images of the vehicle circulated widely on social media, with speculation that it belonged to Khulela. Sabata said the claims were later confirmed by family members after the details were verified.
“I can, on behalf of the family, confirm that Khulela died in the incident that took place in Benoni,” Sabata said.
Sabata described Khulela as a humble man who supported emerging entrepreneurs in Cofimvaba. He said Khulela had planned to invest in a bed-and-breakfast project that would benefit the community. He also recalled that every year Khulela organised sports tournaments and provided prizes.
“We will miss him,” Sabata said, adding that Khulela will be buried over the weekend.
Khulela’s death comes at a time when taxi-related violence continues to intensify across provinces, with communities already struggling with fear and insecurity.
Earlier this month, Khulela had been thrust into controversy in Cape Town when members of the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) accused him of involvement in violent shootings and extortion targeting taxi operators. Those allegations surfaced amid ongoing tensions in the industry.
Khulela denied the claims, telling News24 that he had exited the taxi industry and relocated to Gauteng to start a new life. However, CATA later declined to comment on his death, stating that he was no longer affiliated with the organisation.
While investigators in Gauteng work to piece together exactly what happened near the N12 off-ramp, the violence is far from confined to one area.
In the Western Cape, police have reported that taxi-related killings continue to grip Delft. Officers are investigating a murder and attempted murder cases after gunmen opened fire at a taxi association office on Monday evening.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said a 36-year-old man was killed, while two others—aged 30 and 64—were wounded when the attack occurred at the taxi association office on Main Road. He said the suspects fled the scene and had not yet been arrested.
“According to reports, the victims were standing at the office of a taxi association when they came under attack,” Twigg said.
The attack in Delft follows another shooting on Friday night, when a 44-year-old taxi operator was found dead next to his minibus taxi at the corner of Delft Main Road and Tamarisk Street.
Investigators say the pattern is troubling and that the death toll is climbing. Police have recorded 11 taxi-related murders in Delft alone this month, underscoring the severity of the violence and how quickly it is unfolding.
For communities, the impact goes beyond the loss of life. Taxi routes and daily travel are often disrupted, businesses are forced to operate under fear, and residents are left wondering whether arrests will follow—and how long the violence will continue.
As the investigation proceeds in Gauteng, the focus now shifts to what prompted the ambush and whether Khulela’s recent accusations in Cape Town are connected to what investigators are now treating as a suspected taxi-related attack. For now, police have not indicated any suspects or motive, though the recovery of AK-47 cartridges and the bullet-riddled Mercedes-Benz GLE suggest that the firepower used was both lethal and deliberate.
In Cofimvaba, the family’s grief is already clear. Sabata said Khulela supported entrepreneurs and community projects, including plans for a bed-and-breakfast development and annual sports tournaments. Those commitments were meant to strengthen local opportunities, but instead ended with his sudden death on a Gauteng road near a major highway junction.
With taxi violence continuing in Delft and beyond, South Africans are again being confronted with the question of whether the criminal justice system can keep up with the speed at which armed attacks are happening—and whether those behind them will face consequences before the next ambush.
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