POLICE CONFIRM TONGAAT SHOOTINGS ARE LINKED TO TAXI VIOLENCE

Police confirmed that the initial target of the shootings was confirmed to be a taxi boss who was being escorted by his security guards.

DURBAN – More details emerged about two shootings that left five people dead, and three others wounded in Tongaat.

They were killed in two separate incidents that were close to each other.

READ: Five people shot dead, two wounded in separate incidents in Tongaat

The incidents are believed to be linked to taxi violence, as one survivor was confirmed to be a taxi boss.

Police confirmed that the initial target in this incident was the taxi boss – who was being escorted and driving behind his security guards.

Three of them were shot and killed while his close protector, who was in the same car, was wounded.

“Reports indicate that suspects, who were using high-calibre rifles, fired several shots at security guards who were reportedly escorting a taxi owner. Three security guards were fatally wounded inside a vehicle,” said the police’s Robert Netshiunda.

He said the gunmen tried killing the owner shortly after killing his security team but he fled.

“The taxi owner, who was reportedly driving behind the security guards’ vehicle, managed to drive off but suspects allegedly followed him, still firing shots.”

Police are trying to find out exactly who was responsible.

Meanwhile, just earlier this week a family of three, including their nine-year-old daughter, were fatally shot in a drive-by shooting in the industrial suburb of Springfield Park, also in KwaZulu-Natal.

About an hour later, two minibus taxi owners were also murdered by two unknown gunmen near the Berea Shopping Centre in broad daylight.

It is understood that they were armed with a rifle and a handgun.