Seven people were killed in two separate shootings in South Africa, allegedly connected to ongoing rivalries between taxi associations.
On Thursday, armed men attacked a taxi rank in Johannesburg’s Jeppestown area, killing four people.
A taxi driver, a queue manager, and two hawkers lost their lives.
Three others, including a university student and a taxi driver, were injured. Police suspect the violence is linked to the long-standing tensions in the minibus taxi industry.
The day before, a similar attack took place in Katlehong, southeast of Johannesburg, where three taxi drivers were shot dead.
Two passengers were also wounded in the shooting. Authorities confirmed that the assailants opened fire indiscriminately on the crowd.
The taxi industry, a critical mode of transport for many South Africans, has been plagued by violence for decades.
Rivalries between taxi factions often result in deadly confrontations, fueled by control over profitable routes.
South Africa’s murder rate remains one of the highest in the world, with an average of 75 killings per day.
However, police statistics do not differentiate between those caused by the ongoing taxi wars, which continue to escalate despite efforts to curb the violence.
