Harrismith police received a call about a shooting incident on the R74 Bergville road at a stop-and-go road construction site at about 1.50pm, Sergeant Mmako Mophiring said in a statement.

On arrival at the scene, they found that six people had been shot. Further investigation revealed that all the victims and five unharmed passengers belonged to Kapta. The 11 were returning home after burying one of their drivers in Bergville, who allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself in Katlehong.

“It is alleged that as they arrived at a stop-and-go, five passengers went out of the taxi to urinate. Shortly after, the sixth passenger also went outside and started accusing his crew of murdering the driver they had just buried, who was his friend.

“He allegedly went back to the five passengers who remained in the taxi and started shooting randomly; thereafter [he] turned the gun [on] himself. He died instantly,” Mophiring said.

Another passenger in the taxi also died at the scene. The driver and taxi owner Pat Mohlala and three passengers were taken to Thebe District Hospital in Harrismith with gunshot wounds. The remaining five passengers, who were outside the taxi, were unharmed.

The firearm used was licensed and belonged to the dead shooter. A case of murder, four of attempted murder, and an inquest were registered for further investigation.

“The names of the deceased cannot be released as their next-of-kin have not been informed,” Mophiring said.

ANA