• Police say two gunmen opened fire at the Codeta offices, killing four people and injuring three others, including a passenger.

• Officers are looking for the shooters and have offered a R100,000 reward to anyone with information about the deadly attack.

Four people were killed and three others wounded in a shooting at the Mfuleni taxi rank in Cape Town just after 6am on Friday.

The victims include six men believed to be taxi owners and one woman passenger. Three of them, including the woman, were rushed to hospital.

According to police, the gunmen stormed the Codeta offices at the taxi rank and opened fire. Some victims were inside a container, while another was found in a car.

A woman who was on her way to the taxi rank said she heard gunshots ring out as she walked down the road.

“It was like a movie. The shots kept going, and I ran into someone’s yard to hide,” she said.

“Later, I saw a very sad scene. A woman who had just come to catch a taxi was shot for nothing. It’s not fair. We don’t feel safe.”

Western Cape Deputy Provincial Commissioner, Major General Bongani Maqashalala, said high-powered guns were used in the attack.

“We believe the shooting is linked to taxi industry violence,” he said. “We’ve increased police visibility and brought in public order policing, the flying squad and traffic officers to protect commuters.”

A R100,000 reward has been offered to anyone who can help police catch the killers.

“We were told that two gunmen fired shots at the victims before fleeing the scene,” said Maqashalala.

The South African National Taxi Council in the Western Cape said it was shocked by the killings.

Chairperson Mandla Hermanus said: “We condemn this brutal act in the strongest possible terms. There is no place for violence in our industry.”

He said Santaco would meet with the local taxi association to find out what led to the shooting and to help bring back peace.

“We call on our operators to stay calm and not retaliate. We must not let this violence undo the efforts being made to build unity in the industry,” said Hermanus.

Pictured above: Seven people were shot at the Mfuleni taxi rank in Cape Town.

Image source: Buziwe Nocuze