Eastern Cape taxi boss gunned down in police firefight with protection racket syndicate

Daily Maverick

a day ago

An Eastern Cape taxi boss was among six people shot dead during a police shootout on the R61 outside Mthatha on Monday – part of an intelligence-driven crackdown on alleged extortionists linked to protection rackets.
A well-known taxi boss in Mthatha was gunned down on Monday evening along with five suspects who were being followed by the police as part of an intelligence-driven operation.
'An intelligence-driven operation targeted individuals suspected of involvement in extortion activities within the area. Police stopped the vehicle and the suspects stopped. The suspects stepped out of the vehicle and opened fire on police members,' police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said.
'Officers returned fire in self-defence, resulting in the fatal shooting of all six suspects.'
She said on Tuesday that formal identification of the bodies had not yet been completed.
One of the men who died appeared in court two months ago on charges of extortion and intimidation within the taxi industry and was released on bail of R1,500. He was sought by the team investigating taxi violence in the province.
Transport and community safety MEC Xolile Nqatha expressed shock at the fatal shooting, which occurred on the R61 road between Mthatha and Ngcobo.
Nqatha has warned residents that police will not tolerate lawlessness.
'We have learnt with shock the fatal shooting of the six suspects allegedly involved in extortion. The incident is taking place as SAPS are working tirelessly to combat crime in the province. Police can arrest or stop anyone, regardless of their position or status, if they have committed a crime and will defend themselves when attacked,' Nqatha added.
The police remained on the scene on Monday night, conducting forensic investigations and processing evidence. Firearms recovered from the suspects will undergo ballistic analysis.
While not identifying the taxi boss as one of the deceased in the shootout directly, the office of the Abathembu King, Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, said on Monday night that he wanted to make it clear that the taxi boss – whose name is known to Daily Maverick – did not have legal standing as a traditional leader in Mthatha West. He said the high court had confirmed this in 2023.
Dalindyebo had dismissed him as a headman of Mthatha West in 2023 and interdicts, brought by the taxi boss, were dismissed.
He explained that individuals were using the 'cover' of being a traditional leader as a way to extort money from residents.
Dalindyebo continued that the taxi boss was not a chief and after the death of Dalinzolo 'Sakie' Mareke, who was also not recognised as a traditional leader in Mthatha West, the Abethembu Kingdom had warned that criminal elements 'will be dealt with'.
Mareke was shot in similar circumstances in Mthatha in September 2024, also by the police's National Intervention Unit.
Mareke and his bodyguards had gone to the unit's headquarters in Mthatha after they learnt that the police had searched his house as part of an ongoing extortion investigation.
Dalindyebo suggested that Mareke was involved in an extortion scheme involving the proceeds of a cellphone network tower at Laphum'ikhwezi Primary School.
Mareke in turn held a meeting to raise money to sue the king for defamation.
Dalindyebo expressed his gratitude to the National Intervention Unit, and ended his warning to extortionists in the area with the words: Desist now.
The United Taxi Association of Mthatha also confirmed that six people, including the taxi boss, had been killed in the shootout. DM