A 14-year-old schoolgirl and a taxi driver were fatally shot outside a Cape Town school on Wednesday, highlighting the deadly impact of South Africa’s ongoing taxi disputes on ordinary communities.
The attack occurred as pupils at Atlantis Senior Secondary were leaving for the day, when gunfire erupted and threw students and staff into panic.
Police said an unidentified attacker opened fire on a minibus taxi waiting to pick up learners, striking the driver, another adult, and two students. Responding officers found the 42-year-old taxi operator dead in the vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds.
Within the school grounds, the body of the 14-year-old girl was discovered; police said she had been hit while trying to escape.
"A 14-year-old learner [female] sustained a gunshot wound to her back. Another 16-year-old female was grazed by a bullet," confirmed police spokesperson FC van Wyk. Authorities are still determining the number of assailants involved, while detectives and members of the Taxi Violence Investigations Unit continue to investigate.
Local media reported that this incident marked the second attempt on the taxi driver’s life in recent weeks, underscoring the persistent risks faced by operators and commuters.
South Africa’s minibus taxi sector is known for its intense rivalries, with competition heightened by the rise of e-hailing services, which has at times led to violent clashes.
Western Cape officials condemned the attack as shocking and preventable. "It is unacceptable that our children continue to be exposed to danger as a result of ongoing conflict within the taxi industry," said Isaac Sileku, a senior provincial official.
Authorities emphasized that no learner should have to face life-threatening danger while travelling to or from school.
Regional authorities described the attack as a "senseless act" that disrupts education, undermines community safety, and spreads fear among residents. Sileku stressed that the safety of commuters and students “is non-negotiable and must never be compromised by [taxi] industry conflict,” urging law enforcement to act decisively and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis announced that the city would offer a reward of up to 100,000 rand for information that leads to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
The shooting has once again drawn attention to the ongoing violence within the taxi industry, which continues to claim innocent lives in communities across the country.
