Taxi Violence
1Min
South Africa
Oct 30, 2025
Victor Molefe Moekeletsi, chair of the Alexandra-Randburg-Midrand Taxi Association (ARMSTA), was shot dead in Marlboro today. A bodyguard also died at the scene while others were wounded. The getaway vehicle was later found in Setjwetla with blood evidence.
Johannesburg police have launched a manhunt following the fatal shooting of Victor Molefe Moekeletsi, the chairperson of the Alexandra-Randburg-Midrand-Sandton Taxi Association (ARMSTA), and his bodyguard in what authorities believe was a targeted attack linked to ongoing tensions in the taxi industry.
The shooting occurred on Thursday afternoon in Marlboro, Johannesburg, where Moekeletsi and his security detail came under heavy gunfire. One bodyguard died at the scene, while another and a passing motorist were rushed to hospital with serious injuries.
According to police, the attackers ambushed Moekeletsi’s vehicle before fleeing the scene in a separate car, which was later found abandoned in Setjwetla, an informal settlement near Alexandra. Bloodstains were visible inside the recovered vehicle, suggesting that one of the suspects may have been injured during the exchange.
Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that a case of murder and attempted murder has been opened. “The motive for the shooting is not yet known, but taxi-related conflict cannot be ruled out,” she said. Investigators are gathering evidence and appealing to witnesses to assist in identifying the gunmen.
The murder has sent shockwaves through the local taxi industry, which has long struggled with internal disputes and violent competition over lucrative routes in the Johannesburg metropolitan area. Moekeletsi was regarded as a key figure in efforts to stabilise relations among rival associations after a fragile peace agreement was reached earlier this year.
Community members in Marlboro expressed fear that the killing could reignite violence between associations, threatening the tenuous calm achieved in recent months. “People are scared. We thought things had quieted down, but this shows it’s far from over,” said one resident.
As police intensify their investigation, taxi associations and transport authorities are calling for restraint and dialogue to prevent further bloodshed. The deaths of Moekeletsi and his bodyguard have once again highlighted the dangerous undercurrents in an industry that remains both vital to public transport and deeply marred by violence.
