Residents of Mofolo North in Soweto woke up to witness a deadly taxi shooting yesterday .

Three taxi owners were gunned down, while a taxi driver and a passer by were injured.

The deceased trio were affiliated to the Witwatersrand-Johannesburg Taxi Association (Wata).

They were Andisa Hadebe from Dobsonville, Albert Msiya from Zola North and Lunga Tshabalala from Jabulani. They were killed by three men while guarding their taxis at a local pick-up point.

Wata general secretary, Joseph Makwe said; "We were told that three armed men in a marked blue Nissan Sentra belonging to Nancefield Dube West Taxi Association [Nanduwe] arrived at the picking point and started to shoot at our members. They tried to run, but were cornered by the armed men."

Makwe said the two associations were fighting over several routes, including the spot where the three were killed.

Attempts to solicit comment from Nanduwe were unsuccessful.

A family member of one of the deceased, who did not want to be named, said Tshabalala had just joined the taxi industry after inheriting the business from his father.

"He was still learning the taxi business and had prepared himself as he was due to complete his degree this year in transport management with the University of Johannesburg."

Mofolo resident Musa Nkosi said he heard gunshots at about 7am yesterday. "When I went out I saw two men lying in a pool of blood while the other three men were shooting at them. What I saw will take me years to forget, it was what I always see in (the soapie Isibaya)," he said.

Police spokesman Captain Kay Makhubele said no arrests had been made. "We can't rule out taxi violence."