A 39-year-old taxi driver was shot multiple times inside his home in Harare, Khayelitsha, on Tuesday night in the latest killing linked to Cape Town’s taxi violence crisis.
His wife was also wounded during the attack and was taken to hospital after suffering a gunshot injury to her left arm.
The shooting happened on Ntlazane Road at about 22:30.
The taxi driver was declared dead at the scene by medical personnel.
Western Cape police said detectives from the Taxi Violence Unit are investigating a murder and attempted murder case.
No arrests have been made.
Police said the motive is believed to be linked to taxi violence, but the circumstances leading to the attack remain under investigation.
Wife wounded in home attack
The attack took place inside the couple’s home, where the driver was shot several times.
His wife was caught up in the shooting and sustained a wound to her left arm.
“She sustained a gunshot wound to her left arm and was rushed to a medical facility for treatment,” police spokesperson Constable Ndakhe Gwala said.
The wife’s condition has not been disclosed.
Police have not released the identity of the deceased driver or provided details about the number of attackers involved.
It is also not clear whether the gunmen knew the couple personally or whether the driver was targeted because of his work in the taxi industry.
Those details will form part of the investigation by the Taxi Violence Unit.
Investigators are expected to gather evidence from the scene, speak to witnesses and establish how the attackers entered the property and fled afterwards.
The murder and attempted murder charges will be dealt with separately in court if suspects are arrested and prosecuted.
Latest killing in a bloody crisis
The Harare shooting comes after a series of taxi-related attacks across Cape Town in recent weeks.
More than 20 people have been killed in violence linked to the taxi industry since the latest escalation began last month.
The incidents have affected areas including Delft, Mfuleni, Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, Browns Farm, Philippi and Bellville.
The violence has included shootings at homes, near taxi ranks and around routes used by thousands of commuters every day.
The attacks have also caused disruption to public transport services and created fear among taxi drivers, passengers and residents living near affected areas.
A taxi driver was recently shot dead inside a Toyota Quantum in H Block, Khayelitsha.
Other drivers and passengers have been caught in attacks believed to be connected to disputes between rival taxi organisations.
The violence has continued despite public calls for a ceasefire and negotiations between the main associations involved in the conflict.
Route disputes at centre of conflict
The current conflict has been linked to long-running disputes over taxi routes and operating rights.
The Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association and the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations have been at the centre of the latest tensions.
The disputed routes include services operating between Delft, Epping and Killarney, with further disagreements affecting areas around Khayelitsha, Mfuleni and Somerset West.
Taxi associations have previously used negotiations, organisational structures and legal proceedings to resolve disputes, but violence has repeatedly returned to the industry.
The City of Cape Town has warned that the conflict could spread to major commuter corridors if it is not brought under control.
Thousands of residents depend on minibus taxis to travel to work, school, hospitals and other essential destinations.
Many commuters have no immediate alternative when taxi services are suspended or routes are disrupted.
The loss of a taxi driver inside his own home has also raised fresh concerns about the extent to which the violence reaches beyond taxi ranks and operating routes.
Peace talks under pressure
Government officials, city authorities and taxi-industry representatives have held meetings aimed at stopping the killings.
The talks involve provincial authorities, the City of Cape Town, CATA and Codeta, with the national taxi leadership also being drawn into the process.
The representatives have called for calm and agreed that disputes should be handled through lawful and organisational processes rather than shootings and intimidation.
Western Cape Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku has warned the rival associations that they must stop the violence and work towards a lasting agreement.
The talks are expected to focus on the route disputes and operating interests that have fuelled the latest conflict.
The national taxi leadership has also said that human life must remain the priority and that no route or commercial disagreement should cost lives.
The latest murder will place further pressure on those negotiations.
A peace agreement cannot protect commuters or taxi operators unless the people responsible for attacks are held accountable and the agreements are followed on the ground.
Public transport facilities affected
The escalation has already affected public transport facilities in Cape Town.
A public transport interchange in Delft was temporarily closed after violence broke out in the area.
The closure was intended to protect commuters, taxi operators and public infrastructure while authorities assessed the security situation.
Violence was also reported in Mfuleni and Gugulethu during the same period.
The City said the disputes were rooted in longstanding disagreements between taxi associations over operating rights.
It warned that the consequences would be serious if violence reached busier routes used by large numbers of commuters.
The city has deployed resources to monitor facilities and protect public transport infrastructure.
Residents have nevertheless continued to face uncertainty about whether taxis will operate normally and whether it is safe to use certain ranks.
The Harare killing shows that the danger is not restricted to commuters waiting at taxi facilities.
Taxi operators and their families may also be exposed when attackers target them at home.
Previous deadly attacks
The latest shooting follows several fatal incidents linked to taxi violence across the province.
In August, a 27-year-old taxi driver was chased and shot dead on the N2 near Gugulethu.
Police believed that attack was related to taxi violence.
The driver was reportedly shot in the back while trying to escape and then shot in the head.
In another incident in June, four men were killed and two others were critically wounded during a suspected taxi-related shooting at an informal rank in Philippi.
The dead men were believed to be members of a taxi association affected by internal disputes and factional tensions.
A separate wave of shootings in October left several people dead and others wounded in Delft, Mfuleni, Gugulethu and Khayelitsha.
Those attacks led to renewed calls for urgent intervention from the provincial government, city authorities and the taxi industry.
Police have also increased deployments at certain taxi ranks and transport facilities following the attacks.
The additional police presence is intended to deter further violence and assist with the identification of suspects.
Court action has not ended the violence
The Western Cape government has previously turned to the courts to obtain orders aimed at stopping taxi-related violence.
Court orders have prohibited threats, intimidation and interference with other operators and drivers.
They have also required taxi associations to comply with operating licences and take steps to stop unlawful conduct.
The legal action was introduced after violent disputes claimed lives and placed commuters at risk in several parts of the province.
The existence of a court order does not mean that every attack stops immediately.
Police and prosecutors must still investigate alleged offences, identify suspects and bring cases before the courts.
Taxi associations and individual operators must also comply with the terms of any order and face consequences if they breach it.
The latest home shooting will add to calls for stronger enforcement and closer cooperation between law-enforcement agencies and the taxi industry.
Police appeal for information
The suspects involved in the Harare shooting remain at large.
Police have not released a description of the attackers or the vehicle they may have used.
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should contact the police through official channels.
Witnesses are encouraged to provide information directly to detectives rather than spreading unverified claims on social media.
The identity of the driver and details about the couple’s family have also not been made public.
This is intended to protect the family while the investigation continues.
The surviving wife will be an important witness if she is able to assist investigators, but police will determine when and how her statement is taken while she receives medical care.
Families caught in the middle
The latest killing has placed another family at the centre of a conflict that has affected the wider Cape Town community.
The taxi driver was killed at home, while his wife was wounded and taken to hospital.
Their relatives must now deal with the loss, the medical treatment and the uncertainty surrounding the investigation.
The killing has also deepened concerns among taxi drivers who fear becoming targets because of disputes over routes and operating rights.
For commuters, every new shooting brings the possibility of service disruptions, delays and danger while travelling.
The violence has affected ordinary people who rely on taxis to earn a living and reach essential services.
The latest attack underlines the urgency of the peace talks and the need for a sustained response from police, prosecutors, government and the taxi industry.
For now, detectives are investigating the murder of the 39-year-old driver and the attempted murder of his wife.
The suspects have not been arrested, and the case remains active.