Two men were shot dead at the Diepsloot taxi rank on Wednesday night, Gauteng police said.
The two men, believed to be taxi owners, were sitting in a taxi when two gunmen approached them and opened fire, Lt-Col Katlego Mogale said on Thursday.
“At this stage the motive for the killings is not known and investigations are ongoing.”
The two men were declared dead at the scene. Mogale could not confirm if the killings were directly related to conflict in the taxi industry.
A woman was wounded on Tuesday in a shooting believed to be related to taxi violence in Roodepoort, Johannesburg metro police said.
“The injured female was taken to hospital and four taxis were damaged,” Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said.
The shooting occurred at the intersection of Ontdekkers and CR Swart roads on the West Rand.
He said the road would be closed until further notice to allow police time to investigate. The reason for the suspected taxi violence was not yet known and would form part of investigations.
SA Police Service spokesman Constable Vincent Mashiteng said police were hunting for three man who fled the scene in a blue Toyota Corolla after the shooting.
He said the three were on foot when they started shooting at a taxi and then randomly shot at passing cars.
“At least 10 shots were fired with one hitting the woman who was transported to hospital,” he said.
No one in the taxi was hurt.
The shooting came a day after a Diepsloot man was wounded after taxi drivers in the area went on strike.
The drivers were demanding to be promoted to taxi owners. The man was standing with other taxi drivers when a silver-grey Mercedes-Benz drove up.
An argument ensued between the taxi drivers and the occupants of the car, one of whom opened fire, hitting the man in the lower body.
Mashiteng could not confirm whether the two incidents were linked, but said there had been taxi problems in the area for some time. No arrests had been made. – Sapa
