Five killed in suspected hit murders in a week

Another person has been shot dead in a suspected hit murder in Nelson Mandela Bay.

This brings the total body count for hit murders to five in less than a week, with two believed to be linked to taxi industry violence.

Reasons for the other murders remain unknown, with police stating that most of the killings were not linked.

The latest murder saw Prince Makina, 58, shot in the neck while walking in Mababela Street in Soweto-on-Sea at about 8pm on Wednesday.

Police say they are baffled as the seemingly harmless man was walking home from the bottle store with a bottle of alcohol under his arm when the incident took place.

Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge said the motive was unknown and nothing had been stolen.

Officials on the scene said Makina had been found dead in the street clutching his bottle of alcohol.

“He was walking in the street and appears to have been shot at close range.

“People heard the shots and found him dead in the street.”

Police confirmed Makina appeared not to have been robbed and was not a known witness in any cases.

This comes after three people were killed in a series of suspected hits on Tuesday.

Taxi boss Gcobani Toto, 43, was killed outside the Brylin Independent Learning Centre in Fairview in the morning.

At 8pm, Noluthando Gayiza, 55, was shot dead outside her house in Msimka Street in New Brighton.

An hour later, Phumzile Jacobs, 44, was killed in Bira Street, Motherwell.

Mlungiseleli Mlanjana, 62, was shot dead in the driver’s seat of his Mercedes-Benz on October 31 by an unknown number of gunmen after a taxi association meeting.