Cape Town - A popular taxi entrepreneur was gunned down during a meeting in Wynberg in an apparent hit.
Charmaine Bailey, 53, who had been in the taxi industry for about a decade, was shot and killed on Thursday afternoon.
Bailey, from Mitchells Plain, had been attending a Wynberg Taxi Association meeting at Maynard Mall when she was hit.
Her son, Caleb Bailey, 25, said he was baffled by how the shooter knew where to find her.
“This seems like it was planned. They would normally hold meetings at Airport Industria.
“It was even more surprising as they hardly held meetings in that office, it is usually for smaller meetings but no AGMs or proper decision-making meetings, and the shooter knew where to find her.”
He told the Cape Argus his relatives were scared to help (and tell him) what happened to his mother.
“People were so scared to tell me about what happened to my mother. By the time they told me, I knew because of the feeling in me.
“I’m better now, still shocked at what happened to a woman who was loved by many.”
“My mother strived to make other people’s lives better, she wanted to change the bad image of the taxi industry. Her goal was for the industry to be respected as one of the biggest contributors in the economy as many of them put food on the table because of taxis.
“She wanted to bring another image instead of people seeing thugs, violence and gangsterism in the taxi business.”
Charmaine’s only child described her as a leader since a young age.
“She was family-oriented, she was the eldest of her siblings, and that made her the second mother to them.
“She grew up in Lavender Hill and sold shoes to other kids at school to make ends meet.
“She worked at the bank for 18 years in a management position, then she moved from there and went into real estate. She even had a company which had been running for more than two years. She took over my father’s taxis when he went to jail about 10 years ago.
“She started managing the taxis at the Bonteheuwel Taxi Association and then went to Wynberg Taxi Association.”
Mobility MEC Ricardo MacKenzie said his office was informed of the murder of one of the regional leaders in the taxi industry.
“We condemn this incident and convey our condolences to the family and colleagues of Ms Bailey.
“We have been in contact with the SAPS and call on the investigators and the National Prosecuting Authority to bring the perpetrators of this crime to book as speedily as possible.
“We are deeply concerned that violence in the sector chases commuters away from public transport and ultimately no one benefits from this. This has to stop!”
SA National Taxi Council chairperson Mandla Hermanus appealed to anyone with information to come forward.
“She was the training officer for Cata Regional Taxi Council, and a secretary at her primary association. We appeal to anyone with information to contact law enforcement so that the killers can be brought to book.”
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed that the 53-yearold woman was shot and fatally wounded and said the circumstances were under investigation.
“The victim sustained a gunshot wound to her body and was declared dead on the scene. The suspects are yet to be arrested. The motive for the attack is yet to be determined.”