Cape Town Station Deck Taxi Rank. Image: Storm Simpson
Citrusdal double murder: Police arrest four suspects linked to taxi industry
Two men were killed in Citrusdal, in the Western Cape, while transporting farm workers this week. The police believe the attack is related to taxi violence.
Cape Town Station Deck Taxi Rank. Image: Storm Simpson
Two men were murdered in Citrusdal, a small farming town with a population of approximately 5000 people, in the Western Cape on Wednesday, 11 August. The South African Police Service (SAPS) believes the double homicide is related to the violence that has plagued the taxi and transport industry in the Western Cape in 2021.
POLICE MAKE BREAKTHROUGH IN CITRUSDAL DOUBLE MURDER
The deceased were aged 34 and 43 years old, respectively. They were fatally wounded on a bus while transporting farm workers, according to SAPS spokesperson in the Western Cape, Colonel Andre Traut.
Traut said, “an intensive investigation” into the Citrusdal double murder led to the arrest of four suspects. “Last night [Thursday night] members of Citrusdal police, Provincial Detectives and the Provincial Integrated Task Team conducted a joint tracing operation for the suspects in the area after an investigation implicated them in the attack.”
The suspects, who are aged between 27 and 41 years old, are linked to a local taxi organisation, according to the police. The suspects are expected to make their first appearance in the Clanwilliam Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 16 August. Traut said the state intends to oppose bail.
Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile, the Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape police, commended the investigators and arresting officers for the quick arrests.
Patekile warned that taxi and transport industry associated violence will not be tolerated in the province and perpetrators should expect to be arrested and see their day in court.
At least 86 people have been killed in taxi-related shootings in the Western Cape this year, with many of the victims being passengers or bystanders.
CATA and CODETA, the two taxi associations at the centre of much of the violence, are currently locked into their second round of arbitration – between 14 and 20 August – with the hope being that they can find a peaceful resolution to the deadly route dispute.
