Murder of taxi marshal, arrests

POLICE in Bellville have arrested two men in connection with the murder of a minibus taxi marshal, Western Cape police said on Saturday.

Bellville police officers arrested the pair when they followed up on information from the public on Friday night, police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said.

A shooting incident occurred at the Bellville taxi rank in which the elderly man, who worked as a marshal, was killed. Officers who went to the scene received information from the public about two men who fled in a taxi, and they immediately followed up on it.

The officers chased a Toyota Quantum minibus, pulled it over and arrested the two suspects. On searching the vehicle they found two firearms – a .38 Special revolver and a 9mm Star pistol with its serial numbers filed off.

A case of murder and possession of illegal firearms has been opened against the two men.

The suspects will appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court today.

Meanwhile, in the Khayelitsha cluster three firearms were taken off the street within 12 hours. The first, a loaded .38 Special revolver was recovered in Makhaza from a 22-year-old, who will appear in Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court today on a charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm.

A 49-year-old was arrested and a 9mm pistol containing five rounds of ammunition was confiscated from him yesterday.

“The owner of a fruit and vegetable store in Strand was busy closing his business when he was accosted by three unknown males,” Van Wyk said.

“One had a firearm in his hand and shot at the owner, but missed. The owner fired back and hit the suspect in his right upper leg.

“The suspect will appear in Strand Magistrate’s Court today on a charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm.”

THREE FIREARMS WERE TAKEN OFF THE STREETS WITHIN 12 HOURS