Fear grips Mabopane after taxi patroller gunned down

The Mabopane community says it lives in fear following the latest in a series of killings in the area, after a taxi patroller was shot dead yesterday outside the Engen filling station, adjacent to Mabopane Station Mall. The victim is alleged to be the sixth person killed this year in the township.

The killing is thought to be linked to an ongoing taxi feud over operating funds, and took place during business hours while locals were trading.

Earlier this year, members of the MAWIKTA Taxi Association were tragically gunned down, including two taxi owners who were shot at the same petrol station.

Residents say, despite the violence, they have no choice but to continue their daily routines.

Speaking exclusively to Ynews, one resident said she reopened her stall to sell wigs today regardless of what happened, because she has to put food on the table.

“You also won’t feel safe knowing someone was gunned down nearby. Tomorrow we don’t know who will be targeted. But we have to work. Our children have to eat. If I leave because of the violence, where will I get money to feed them?” she said.

Eyewitnesses say the victim, known for collecting operating funds from local taxis, had a heated confrontation with unknown assailants, which turned deadly after several shots were fired. Many residents have claimed that greed is at the heart of the taxi-related violence.

Taxi associations across Gauteng have come under scrutiny in recent months as gun violence continues, with many cases remaining unsolved, despite Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s interventions, including CCTV installations in some townships.

Some business owners say they refuse to speak out, fearing for their lives, while many traders, particularly in the taxi sector, avoid interference in taxi-related matters.

One trader told YNews that he has learned to adapt to the township’s rough conditions, calling police intervention largely ineffective.

He suggested that Community Policing Forum patrollers be deployed to the area, which has already seen several businesses relocate due to recurring violence.

Written by: Odirile Rabalao