Taxi driver shot and killed in Evaton, South Africans shaken

• South Africans were worried about the rate of taxi-related murder in Gauteng after the death of a taxi driver
• The driver was shot and killed on the Golden Highway by an unknown number of assailants
• Calls for stricter gun control increased as the South African Police Service is investigating a murder case

Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, shootings, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

EVATON, GAUTENG — South Africans were worried about the impact of taxi violence on passengers after a taxi driver was shot and killed in Evaton, Johannesburg, on 4 March 2026. The South African Police Service opened a case of murder.

According to SABC News, the incident took place on the Golden Highway in Evaton. The police reported that a white Polo vehicle, which had an unconfirmed number of occupants, approached the driver while he was operating his taxi on the road and opened fire, shooting the taxi multiple times. When paramedics arrived on the scene, he was declared dead.

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SAPS investigating case of murder

The SAPS spokesperson, Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, said that the motive of the shooting is unknown and the police launched a probe into the incident. However, she could not confirm if the incident was related to taxi violence.

How did South Africans react?

Members of the public commented on the incident. Some linked it to taxi violence, and others linked it to road rage.

Rebecca Mlangeni said:

“I hope that they are not fighting because if they are, this means passengers' lives are at risk.”

Mahlogonolo Kolobe Bonoko opined:

“Maybe it’s road rage, because we know how taxi drivers are.”

Wo Man asked:

“While he was driving? I’m worried if there were passengers.”

Simon Melane was concerned.

“Yoh, things are rough, and nowadays people are dying like flies. Why?”

Luwis Istan said:

“They have their conflicts, so we won’t know what happened.”

Bongani Mgubela warned against road rage.

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“If you are calm, you are wise. But if you have a hot temper, you will only show how foolish you are.”

3 Briefly News articles about taxi-related killings

• A Soweto barbershop owner witnessed the killing of a taxi owner in Diepkloof on 9 April 2025. A group of armed men entered his shop while he was giving the taxi boss a haircut and opened fire, shooting him three times.
• The South African Police Service launched a manhunt after the Gauteng National Taxi Alliance chairperson, Thamsanqa Moyo, was killed in Diepkloof, Soweto, on 18 September 2025. Moyo was travelling along the Soweto Highway when he was shot and killed in what the police described as an ambush attack.
• A taxi boss was shot and killed on 4 December 2025 in an incident linked to taxi violence. Vusi Mayaba, the chairperson of the Alexandra Taxi Association, was at Woodmead Shopping Centre when two men approached him and shot him. No arrests were made.

Source: Briefly News