Eastern Cape Taxi Boss Among 6 Gunned Down in Shootout With SAPS

• Six people, including a taxi boss, were killed in a shootout with members of the South African Police Service in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, on 23 June 2025
• The police have allegedly had the taxi boss, Bishop Zola Yelelo, on the radar for unknown crimes
• South Africans were stunned and noted that the police have been gunning down a lot of crime suspects recently

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

MTHATHA, EATERN CAPE — The South African Police Service shot and killed six people, including a wanted taxi boss in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape on 23 June 2025.

Taxi boss killed in Eastern Cape

According to eNCA, the shootout happened between the National Intervention Unit and other unknown suspects. The incident happened near Mthatha Airport. It's believed that he was wanted in connection with several murder cases.

Although information about what led to the shooting is not available, it's understood that he was arrested in the Mall of Africa in Johannesburg in November last year. He also appeared in the Exibeleni Magistrate's Court after he handed himself over and was given R1 500 bail.

This is a developing story.

Taxi violence-related incidents

• The Gauteng MEC for Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, held a prayer session in April 2025 in response to the rising taxi violence
• Two members of the Beitbridge Taxi Association were shot and killed in Musina, Limpopo, on 10 May while they were sitting at an eatery at midnight
• Four people were killed in a shooting at the Mfuleni Taxi Rank in the Cape Flats in the Western Cape on 5 June
• An e-hailing driver and two of his passengers were shot and killed in Mitchell's Plain on 17 June
• One person was killed after two taxi association members were shot in Sekhukhune on 20 June 2025

What did South Africans say?

South Africans commenting on Facebook discussed the shooting.

Donald Tuck said:

"Mthatha is a no-go zone."

Ray KaMaphosa said:

"Mthatha nowadays has just gone through World War three."

Bubu Bubu said:

"EFF is going to have an anniversary celebrations in Mthatha. I'm having second thoughts about going."

Nwaiza Vuyoza Langa said:

"Mthatha on the headlines every day."

Mpongo Asanda said:

"Mthatha is like Cape Town, Philippi lately."

Jonathan Sharneck said:

"That town is run by thugs."

Taxi patrollers force passengers out of the taxi

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) condemned an incident where patrollers in Tshwane forced passengers out of a taxi. The incident happened on 4 April 2025 in Refilwe.

The patrollers accused the transport of taking business from them. They compelled the passengers to catch taxis to their workplaces at the nearest taxi rank. South Africans were displeased.

"Taxi operators do as hey wish in this country with no punishment," a netizen said.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News