Cape Town: The Western Cape Government (WCG) has condemned the recent Langa shootings that claimed the lives of two people and left another person injured. Reports indicate that Monday’s fatalities are connected to the ongoing taxi violence, which is having a widespread impact across the Cape Town Metro area.
According to South African Government News Agency, the provincial government has appealed to anyone with information to come forward and assist in ensuring those responsible are arrested. Meanwhile, the Western Cape MEC for Mobility, Isaac Sileku, has expressed deep concern about the incident, emphasizing that more lives have been lost to criminality. Sileku stressed that the killings are robbing families of loved ones and placing both the mini-bus taxi industry and the communities it serves under threat.
Sileku has called on all role players to remain calm and allow the law to take its course, stating that violence should not be accepted as a means to resolve disputes. He reiterated that protecting lives and ensuring safety across the public transport network remains central to their mission. The WCG has stated that the response to this ongoing violence is coordinated across departments.
MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, has also condemned the killings and urged all stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue. Marais asserted that violence is not the answer and urged the SAPS (South African Police Service) to deal decisively with those responsible. The MEC confirmed that SAPS investigations are ongoing and that law enforcement presence in affected areas has been intensified.
Additional police resources, including the City of Cape Town Law Enforcement and Provincial Traffic, have been deployed. The provincial government announced that high-density patrols are being conducted along key routes between Somerset West and Mfuleni to stabilize the situation and prevent further violence. An urgent Mini-Bus Task Team meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, 12 June 2025, to bring together key stakeholders to find solutions through dialogue and coordinated action.
The Department of Mobility, in collaboration with safety and law enforcement agencies, remains focused on fostering peaceful resolutions and ensuring that public transport remains safe, reliable, and dignified for all who depend on it.