There has been no explanation over the killing of two Rea Vaya bus drivers, who were gunned down in two separate incidents in Soweto on Monday evening.
However, Joburg Mayor Dada Morero and his MMC for Transport, Kenny Kunene, have both expressed shock and condemned the fatal killing of the two drivers.
This is as scores of Rea Vaya commuters were on Tuesday, left stranded after the bus service operator suspended its services due to the incidents.
Gauteng police, in a statement, also confirmed that following the shootings, they are now investigating cases of murder.
In the first incident, Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo indicated that the driver had stopped at a robot along Wildchestnut Street in Protea when he was shot and killed by unknown suspects.
“In the second incident at Tshithuthune Street, Mapetla, the eyewitness reported that he was the last passenger on the bus when he heard gunshots and took cover. After it got quiet, he realised that the driver was shot, he tried to drive the bus but crashed into a wall. The driver was declared dead on the scene and the passenger sustained no injuries,” Masondo stated.
Masondo indicated that in both incidents, the motive of the shooting is still unknown as police continue their investigations.
Reacting to the shooting, Morero, together with his mayoral committee and city manager, Tshepo Makola, have expressed their shock and dismay at the senseless killing of the two drives.
Makola said the city has subsequently suspended all bus operations until further notice pending a plan of action to escort, protect drivers, and buses from further possible attacks, with both the SAPS and the Johannesburg Metro Police Department reported to be investigating the source of these killings.
“We want to assure our drivers and commuters that everything possible will be done to protect them, including immediate engagements with the taxi industry, provincial law and safety agencies, and importantly a detailed risk assessment of BRT routes and stations,” said Makola.
An elderly commuter from Orlando West, who did not want to be named, expressed her shock at the suspension of the service.
“You know growing up, there were not taxi services. We only relied on the Putco bus service to commute to and from work. We are now forced to use taxis even though some of us prefer to use buses. As things stand, two drivers have been senselessly killed by people who want to cause chaos,” she stated.
Sibongile Masondo, another Soweto resident who works in Randburg, has indicated that it will cost her more to travel by taxi in the coming days.
“What I can say about this whole situation is that this is a mess. Already, I had filled up my tag to carry me through the month of February to ensure I am covered for transport. So now, the shooting has forced me to borrow money from people. I did not budget to use a taxi for this month.
“Today, I had no choice as it was mandatory for me to catch two taxis to work. Mind you, it costs me R78 for transport to and from work when using taxis instead of R36 when using a bus tag,” said.
This incident comes just a week after 50 Putco buses were torched by unknown people in four depots in Mpumalanga.
Putco spokesperson, Lindokuhle Xulu, indicated that the arson incident cost the company more than R250 million in damages.
In November 2024, commuters were left stranded when after the Rea Vaya service was disrupted for two days by a taxi industry protest by previous beneficiaries of the entity – halting the introduction of the 45 new buses, without necessary documentation.
There has been multiple incidents in the past years where residents have been left stranded due to a series of labour-related disputes since the establishment of the service in 2009.