Taxi violence resurfaces: CATA executive gunned down in Cape Town

The Cape Town Taxi Association (CATA) is voicing grave concern following the recent murder of one of its executive members, Mzukisi Zwakala.

Zwakala, who served on the CATA Lwandle regional executive committee, was fatally shot in Lwandle on Monday. He was also a member of the negotiating team tasked with resolving an ongoing impasse over route operations with rival taxi association CODETA, the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association, in the region.

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This latest incident appears to be part of an alarming pattern of taxi violence in the Cape. Several high-ranking CATA members have been killed in gun violence in recent months, including the association's first deputy chairperson, a former spokesperson, and another taxi boss who was shot and killed on the R300 highway just last week.

The murder comes shortly after the lifting of a 30-day closure on routes between Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, and Somerset West, which had been implemented due to the violence between CATA and CODETA.

CATA spokesperson Nkululeko Sityebi is urgently appealing for the arrest of those responsible, stressing the danger of speculation in the volatile industry.

"We cannot have so many killings at CATA with no arrests made, that's totally unacceptable," Sityebi said.

"We cannot assume because assumptions are so dangerous in the taxi industry, they can cause a lot of fights."

Sityebi is awaiting confirmation from the police on whether Zwakala's murder is related to the reopening of the routes. He stated that if a link is established, CATA will take "decisive steps".