Bullet-riddled taxi in which 17 members of the Ivory Park and Kempton Park taxi associations were traveling on Saturday night. A group of gunmen opened fire at the taxi, killing eleven and seriously injuring four. Image: Ladysmith Gazette.

KZN – Eleven people were killed on the R74 in Colenso on Saturday night in a shooting that has been linked to taxi violence.

It is reported that the victims, who are said to be affiliated to the Ivory Park and Kempton Park taxi associations, were returning to Johannesburg from the funeral of one of their members at Ematimatolo when the shooting occurred. A group of unidentified gunmen is said to have emerged from the bushes, jumped into the middle of the road and opened fire at the taxi they were traveling in.

According to the Ladysmith Gazette, the shooters were armed with high-powered rifles and fired over 200 bullets into the taxi, which had 17 occupants. Eleven people died, four were seriously injured and two escaped unscathed.

Police minister General Khehla Sitole announced on Sunday that a special task team that will track down the killers had been assembled. The team, which comprises the Hawks, the Special Task Force and other specialised units of the SAPS, has a directive to apprehend the suspects in 72 hours.