Four suspected taxi industry hitmen killed in police shootout

Four suspects wanted for taxi industry-related murders were fatally shot during a high-speed vehicle shootout with police in Mooi River on Monday afternoon, 4 November 2024.

Recovered firearm

Acting on intelligence, police located the suspects in the Mooi River area. Officers intercepted the suspects’ vehicle on the N3 Highway and signaled for the driver to pull over. However, the driver sped off, taking the Hidcote turn-off and joining the R103 road toward Estcourt.

As the chase intensified, the suspects began firing at the police, prompting officers to return fire to protect themselves and other road users. During the exchange, all four suspects in the vehicle were fatally shot. Two firearms—a rifle and a pistol—along with ammunition were recovered from the scene.

Recovered ammunition

Among the suspects was a 40-year-old man, a high-priority target linked to the Bergville shootings of a taxi association chairperson and his deputy in February and June 2024, respectively. He was also wanted in connection with a Bergville taxi rank shooting that injured a commuter with a stray bullet, as well as an attempted murder of a taxi owner in Winterton in June 2024.

The recovered firearms will undergo ballistic testing to determine if they are linked to other violent crimes in the province or elsewhere in the country. Although the police vehicle sustained numerous bullet holes, no officers were injured in the incident.

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