The Western Cape MEC of Transport and Public Works, Bonginkosi Madikizela, has strongly condemned the murder of Blackheath-Malibu Taxi Association chairperson, Patrick Cosani.

Cosani was shot and killed outside his home in Heath Road, Austinville, on Tuesday morning at 06:04. No one else was injured in the shooting.

In a statement, Madikizela said he wished to extend his sincere condolences to Consani's family and his colleagues at the Blackheath-Malibu Taxi Association.

"I condemn the killing in the strongest terms. After hearing about this incident, I immediately instructed officials from my department to meet with the leadership of the South African National Taxi Association (Santaco) to discuss how we can jointly work toward ensuring calm in the area and to prevent any acts of retaliation," said Madikizela.

FLARE-UPS OF VIOLENCE
The Blackheath-Malibu area (about 35 km from the Cape Town CBD) has been plagued by route invasions by illegal operators in the past, which has caused flare-ups of violence and sporadic clashes between taxi associations and operators.

Madikizela appealed to police to fast-track the investigation and to bring the shooters to book.

Western Cape police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed the incident, News24 reported.

Minutes after Cosani was gunned down, a 24-year-old man was shot and killed in Buttskop Road, opposite a filling station. The scenes of the two shootings are not far apart, according to Google Maps.

Two cases of murder are being investigated. The motives for the shootings are not yet known, said Van Wyk.

Madikizela said: "We will not tolerate illegal operations and route invasions and will work closely with the police and other law enforcement authorities to rid the minibus taxi industry of the criminals behind these callous acts.

"My department and I are encouraged by the recent arrests of suspected hitmen behind taxi-related killings by the SAPS's integrated taxi task team. We hope that these apprehensions will lead to the arrest and conviction of those unscrupulous leaders who have masterminded and paid for these heinous crimes."