Yet another taxi kingpin gunned down in Cape Town as industry violence intensifies

Yet another prominent taxi official has been gunned down in Cape Town. According to the police, Charmaine Bailey was in a meeting in Wynberg when a gun went off on Thursday afternoon. 

“The circumstances surrounding a shooting incident on Thursday afternoon at about 13:50 in Maynard Road, Wynberg, where a 56-year-old female was shot and fatally wounded are under investigation,” said police spokesperson  Sergeant Wesley Twigg.

“The victim sustained a gunshot wound to her body and was declared deceased on the scene by the medical personnel and the unknown suspect/s fled the scene and are yet to be arrested.”

Twigg said the motive for the attack is yet to be determined at this stage. 

Bailey was Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association’s (Cata) secretary and a training officer for Cata Regional Taxi Council. 

Her killing comes exactly a month after the fatal shooting of Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta) leader Sizwe Khobocwana. 

Khobocwana — the chairperson of Route 1 between Khayelitsha, Wynberg and Claremont — was shot repeatedly in his vehicle in front of his home on Dorado Road, Kuils River last month. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: Cape Town Codeta taxi boss gunned down outside home

Cata spokesperson Nkululeko Sityebi said Bailey’s killing came as a shock not only to the organisation but to the minibus taxi industry as a whole. 

“We have weekly meetings as Cata, we were expecting her and she sent an apology to attend something at her primary association,” said Sityebi. 

“After we concluded our meeting we got the sad news. She was an iron lady and played a big role in the organisation. We are really hurt and I was very close to her as I was also her translator at times.” 

Sityebi said he did not know what may have led to the fatal shooting and pleaded for anyone with information that might lead to the arrest of the suspects to approach the police. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: New Western Cape Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie ‘confident’ he can put brakes on Santaco taxi strike

South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) Western Cape chairperson Mandla Hermanus said they had also learnt with shock and sadness of the killing of Bailey on Thursday afternoon. 

“The circumstances around the incident are not yet clear but the executive committee of that region has called an urgent meeting to look into this. We convey our sincere condolences to her family.” 

Wynberg police registered a murder case for investigation. 

Anyone with any information about this shooting incident is requested to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111. DM