CoCT's Mobility directorate calls for calm in taxi industry after violence escalates between CATA & CODETA

CAPE TOWN - The City of Cape Town's Mobility directorate has called for calm within the city's taxi industry following the recent escalation of violence between CATA and CODETA.

Six men, including passengers, were shot at a taxi rank in Philippi East on Monday - two of them died and four others were critically injured.

A taxi driver was also killed and three others injured at the Vuyani taxi rank in Town Two, Khayelitsha on Monday.

City of Cape Town Mobility MMC Rob Quintas said the violence needed to stop immediately.

Quintas was also concerned about rising tensions between CATA and CODETA in the Somerset West and Lwandle areas.

Several taxi operators died in gun violence in June, when the Cape's biggest taxi associations were fighting over a taxi route from Mfuleni to Somerset West.

"This violence undermines the commitments made at the Peace Summit earlier this month and betrays the trust of thousands of commuters who depend on safe transport every day. Working with the Western Cape government and SAPS, visible law enforcement has been deployed to stabilise the situation. The city calls on all taxi leadership to honour their peace commitments, refrain from violence and resolve disputes through lawful dialogue putting commuter safety first."