Western Cape Government Condemns Deadly Taxi Violence Amid Renewed Tensions

Cape Town – A surge of deadly shootings linked to the ongoing taxi conflict has rocked Cape Town’s communities, prompting strong condemnation from the Western Cape Government. Over the past two days, several people have been killed in Philippi East, Khayelitsha, and Macassar in incidents believed to be connected to rival taxi associations.

Western Cape Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku and Police Oversight and Community Safety Minister Anroux Marais have both expressed alarm, calling the attacks “brutal” and “senseless.”

“These brutal taxi-related attacks in Philippi East, Khayelitsha, and Macassar have no place in our communities,” Marais said. “Such acts of terror spread fear, instability, and suffering among innocent residents. The perpetrators of these heinous crimes must be brought to book.”

The latest killings mark a worrying escalation in the long-running rivalry between the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) and the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (CODETA) — the two largest taxi groupings in the province. For decades, competition over lucrative routes has fuelled deadly clashes, leaving commuters caught in the crossfire.

Just two months ago, government, law enforcement, and industry leaders gathered for the Taxi Peace Summit, where SANTACO Western Cape and its eight regional structures pledged to end violence and prioritise commuter safety. At the summit, both CATA and CODETA committed to work towards stability. However, the recent attacks suggest that factions within the industry are undermining these peace efforts.

“The safety of commuters, operators, and the broader public is non-negotiable,” Minister Sileku stressed. “The current escalation of tensions between CATA and CODETA shows that some in the industry are acting in bad faith and breaking their commitments. This violence is nothing less than an attack on innocent commuters, and those who choose conflict over peace will face the full force of the law.”

Sileku also revealed that his department is exploring stronger regulatory measures to ensure accountability among operators and associations.

The taxi industry in South Africa moves millions of commuters daily and remains the backbone of public transport. Yet in the Western Cape, disputes over routes — particularly in densely populated townships — have repeatedly erupted into violence. The latest incidents have reignited fears among residents who rely on taxis as their primary means of transport.

Authorities say they remain on high alert in affected areas, with police deployments intensified to prevent further bloodshed. The Western Cape Government has urged members of the public to report threats, intimidation, or criminal activity directly to law enforcement.

For now, commuters and families of the victims are left grappling with the fear that peace in the industry remains fragile, despite repeated government interventions.

URhulumente weNtshona Koloni Uyalugxeka uBundlobongela obunobuNtundezelo beeteksi Ngelixa Kuphinde Kwabakho Uxinzelelo

EKapa – Iziganeko zodubulo eziyanyaniswa nongquzulwano lweeteksi eziqhubekayo zishukumise uluntu lwaseKapa, ​​nto leyo ebangele ukuba kugxekwe kabukhali nguRhulumente weNtshona Koloni. Kwezi ntsuku zimbini zidlulileyo, abantu abaliqela bathe babhubha ePhilippi East, eKhayelitsha, naseMacassar kwizehlo ekukholelwa ukuba zinento yokwenza nemibutho yoonoteksi ekhuphisanayo.

UMphathiswa wezokuHamba eNtshona Koloni u-Isaac Sileku kunye noMphathiswa woHlolo lwamaPolisa noKhuseleko loLuntu u-Anroux Marais bobabini bavakalise uloyiko lwabo, belubiza olu hlaselo “lwenkohlakalo” kunye “nobungenangqiqo.”

“Olu hlaselo lukhohlakeleyo lunxulumene noonoteksi ePhilippi East, Khayelitsha, naseMacassar alunandawo kwindawo esihlala kuyo,” utshilo uMarais. Ezo zenzo zoloyiko zisasaza uloyiko, ukungazinzi nokubandezeleka kubemi abamsulwa.

Ukubulawa kwamva nje kuphawula ukunyuka okuxhalabisayo kukhuphiswano ekudala luqhuba phakathi kweCape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) kunye neCongress of Democratic Taxi Associations (CODETA) – awona maqela mabini amakhulu eteksi kwiphondo. Kangangamashumi eminyaka, ukhuphiswano kwiindlela ezinengeniso luye lwaphembelela ungquzulwano olubulalayo, nto leyo eshiya abakhweli bebanjwe kuqhushululu.

Kwiinyanga nje ezimbini ezidlulileyo, urhulumente, abezomthetho, kunye neenkokheli zoshishino zazihlanganisene kwiNgqungquthela yoXolo lweeTeksi, apho iSANTACO yaseNtshona Koloni kunye nemibutho yayo yengingqi esibhozo yathembisa ukuphelisa ubundlobongela nokubeka phambili ukhuseleko lwabakhweli. Kwisamithi, zombini i-CATA kunye neCODETA bazibophelele ekusebenzeleni uzinzo. Nangona kunjalo, uhlaselo lwakutsha nje lucebisa ukuba amaqela angaphakathi kwishishini ajongela phantsi ezi nzame zoxolo.

“Ukhuseleko lwabakhweli, abakhweli, kunye noluntu ngokubanzi aluxoxiswana,” ugxininise uMphathiswa uSileku. “Oku kugquba kwengxwabangxwaba ekhoyo phakathi kweCATA neCODETA kubonisa ukuba abanye kolu shishino baziphatha kakubi yaye bayasiphula isibhambathiso sabo.Olu gonyamelo lufana nokuhlasela abakhweli abangenatyala, kwaye abo bakhetha ungquzulwano endaweni yoxolo baza kujongana nengalo yomthetho.”

USileku ukwadize ukuba isebe lakhe liphonononga amanyathelo angqongqo olawulo ukuqinisekisa uxanduva phakathi kwabasebenzi nemibutho.

Ishishini leeteksi eMzantsi Afrika lihambisa izigidi zabakhweli mihla le kwaye lihleli lingumqolo wezithuthi zikawonke-wonke. Ukanti eNtshona Koloni, iingxabano malunga neendlela – ngakumbi kwiilokishi ezinabemi abaninzi – zithe gqolo ziqhambuka kubundlobongela. Izehlo zamva nje zivuselele uloyiko kubahlali abaxhomekeke kwiiteksi njengeyona ndlela iphambili yezothutho.

Abasemagunyeni bathi bathe gqolo emxholweni kwiindawo ezichaphazelekileyo, njengoko kuqinisiwe ukuthunyelwa kwamapolisa ukunqanda ukuphalala kwegazi. URhulumente weNtshona Koloni ubongoze uluntu ukuba luchaze ngqo izigrogriso, izoyikiso, okanye izenzo zolwaphulo-mthetho kwabomthetho.

Okwangoku, abakhweli kunye neentsapho zamaxhoba zishiywe zijongene noloyiko lokuba uxolo kwishishini lusahleli lunkenenkene, nangona urhulumente engenelele ngokuphindaphindiweyo.

Summary:

The Western Cape Government has strongly condemned a surge of deadly shootings linked to ongoing taxi violence in Cape Town, which claimed several lives in Philippi East, Khayelitsha, and Macassar over the past two days. Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku and Police Oversight and Community Safety Minister Anroux Marais described the attacks as brutal and senseless, warning that perpetrators will face the full force of the law. The killings reflect a renewed escalation in the long-running rivalry between the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) and the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (CODETA), despite commitments made at June’s Taxi Peace Summit to prioritise commuter safety and end violence. Authorities have intensified police deployments in affected areas, while government explores stronger regulatory measures to ensure accountability in an industry that moves millions daily but remains marred by violent disputes over routes, leaving commuters fearful and peace efforts fragile.