Cape Town taxi violence: 3 dead, Delft interchange closed

Nine people were shot, three of them fatally, in taxi-linked shootings across Cape Town between Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning, 28 October 2026. The attacks were in Delft, Mfuleni, Gugulethu and Khayelitsha, and on Wednesday the City temporarily closed the Delft Public Transport Interchange.

If you rely on minibus taxis in these areas, plan for a heavy police presence, possible closures and delays until things settle.

Where have the shootings happened?

Sources: News24, IOL, Smile 90.4FM.

Source: News24. Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg told IOL that no arrests had been made for the Gugulethu and Khayelitsha killings. For the Delft shooting, police spokesperson Thembakazi Mpendukana said Delft SAPS had opened two attempted murder cases and a case of discharging a firearm, and that no one had been arrested yet, Smile 90.4FM reported.

Why is this happening?

Urban Mobility MMC Rob Quintas said the violence comes from long-running disputes between the CATA and CODETA taxi associations over routes and operating rights, mainly in Delft, Khayelitsha and Somerset West, IOL reported. He said the latest tension is over contested routes between Delft, Epping and Killarney, and warned it could spread to other major commuter routes. According to Quintas, years of mediation, negotiations and even a High Court process have not ended the dispute.

The Western Cape Mobility Department said on 23 October that some of the violence may be linked to disputes over routes and control of parts of the industry, after shootings in Somerset West, Khayelitsha, Epping, Delft, Bonteheuwel and Maitland. An earlier shooting at a Delft rank killed two people, one of them a member of the public, according to the department.

The Western Cape arm of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) told 702/CapeTalk it could not promise commuters they would be safe. Spokesperson Makhosandile Tumana said "this thing is out of our hands" and appealed for calm ahead of a meeting between the taxi industry and government planned for Thursday, 29 October, EWN reported.

What are the City, province and police doing?

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the City would "uphold the rule of law" and called on taxi industry leaders to ensure peace and calm prevails. Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku's department said it would not use mediation where operators try to take over routes without the required licences, and would use legal and regulatory processes instead.

In the Overstrand, where associations are also clashing over routes, the province said the Western Cape High Court granted an order barring CATA and Overstrand taxi associations from intimidating commuters, carrying firearms and blocking roads, among other things, Smile 90.4FM reported.

What commuters should know

• In Delft, the City closed the Delft Public Transport Interchange on Wednesday, and police cordoned off the Palm taxi rank after the morning shooting. Check before you go, and do not use a rank police have closed.
• Golden Arrow said its buses were running on schedule but that it was watching affected areas and could change routes if needed for safety, Cape Town Etc reported. Check Golden Arrow's social media or call centre before you travel.
• Several of the attacks happened on streets, not at ranks, EWN noted. Stay alert at stops and on the road, not only at the rank.
• The Delft Community Policing Forum asked schools near taxi ranks and other high-risk areas not to leave late learners waiting outside the gates during matric exams.
• If shooting breaks out, get away from the vehicles and the rank, take cover, and call SAPS on 10111 once you are safe.

How do I report information?

The City runs an anonymous tip-for-reward line, open 24 hours a day, on 0800 110077. Safety and Security MMC JP Smith asked anyone who knows who the gunmen are to report them. You can also call Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

This article was updated on 28 October 2026 with the Delft interchange closure, comments from the City's Urban Mobility MMC and Santaco, Golden Arrow's service update and recent arrests.