From route closures to calm: Inside Cape Town’s turbulent year of taxi violence

In 2025, Cape Town has been rocked by deadly clashes between rival minibus taxi organisations, CATA and CODETA, as disputes over lucrative routes erupted into gunfire.

Tensions erupted after talks to resolve an impasse over operation rights of key routes between Mfuleni, Khayelitsha, and Somerset West failed.

That dispute escalated into armed violence, where several taxi-operators from both associations were killed in shootings tied to this route dispute.

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In September, after repeated clashes and mounting fatalities, the provincial government took the drastic step of closing several key taxi routes in a bid to curb the bloodshed.

It’s been a tragic year for many of Cape Town’s minibus taxi commuters, owners, and drivers.

More than 15 taxi operators, including those in leadership positions within the taxi associations, have been killed in gun violence.

But the downtime appears to have helped, as authorities report calmer conditions along the suspended routes since the shutdown was lifted in October.

However, recent shootings have been reported in and around the Nyanga taxi rank, and they seem not to be linked to the dispute over routes in the Somerset corridor.

Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku previously said that daily monitoring systems established on the affected taxi routes will continue.

"Our focus remains on promoting peace, stability, and safety within the minibus taxi industry, and we will not tolerate any return to violence."

Law enforcement authorities have also indicatedthat they'll use full force of the law against perpetrators.