Mall of Africa asks for security to be beefed up after two people killed in shooting

The management of the Mall of Africa in Midrand has asked for security to be beefed up at the centre after a shooting outside the centre which killed two people.

“From our side‚ we are working with the SAPS and have requested an increased presence to support our security teams which they have already started [deploying] since this morning. Our primary concern as always is our shoppers‚ store owners and their staffing‚” said Mall of Africa brand manager Vanessa Fourie.

Two people‚ believed to be taxi owners‚ were shot dead on Sunday at a taxi rank near the mall along the Lone Creek Crescent.

On Monday‚ a meeting was held between representatives from Mall of Africa management‚ the Gauteng SAPS‚ including its Taxi Violence Unit‚ the province’s traffic department and private investigators.

Fourie added: “We have just had a meeting with a large contingent of SAPS and various branches and divisions within the services. We are very confident with the approach they are taking [as] it remains a SAPS and Department of Transport situation.”

An insider who was privy to the discussions told TMG Digital that two taxi associations are said to be involved in the shooting.

The insider‚ who asked not to be named‚ said rivalry between Alexandra Taxi Association (ATA) and The Alexandra Randburg Sandton Taxi Association (ARMSTA) are directly linked to the shooting.

Three people were wounded during a shootout at the same taxi rank on the day that Mall of Africa opened.