Sunday Tribune reports that another Tansnat bus driver was shot dead in an apparent ambush on Friday morning, bringing the number of killings to three in as many months. All the drivers worked for Tansnat, the bus company contracted to the eThekwini metro.
The driver, en-route to the city, was shot by criminals pretending to be passengers. His death happened two days after another driver, Orbet Zulu, was shot at his KwaMashu home on Tuesday evening. Heavily armed men reportedly stormed Zulu's house and started shooting. Zulu died instantly while his injured wife is recovering in the hospital. Two months ago, another bus driver was shot dead in KwaMashu opposite the Metro police building. While police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala claimed that the incidents were isolated, several bus drivers who spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared for their lives, said the attacks were related to a business dispute. According to one bus driver, the drivers were divided because some wanted the municipality to take over the buses while others remained loyal to Tansnat Bus Company owned by Mandla Gcaba – who also ruled the taxi industry. Tansnat chief operating officer Vickesh Maharaj commented: "We are concerned about the safety of our drivers and passengers and have reported the matter to authorities to increase the enforcement presence on our routes. Other incidents have not been at work. The authorities are investigating, and we have tasked our health and safety committee to deal with the matter."
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nkululeko Nene at Sunday Tribune
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