Three taxi bosses have been shot dead days apart in the Eastern Cape.

The latest victims were shot eight hours apart in Port Elizabeth and Mthatha.

Mlungiseleli Mlanjana, 62, was gunned down in his Mercedes-Benz on October 31 in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth.

A 39-year-old taxi owner and taxi association chairperson was gunned down on his way home in Mthatha on Monday evening.

“He managed to flee from his vehicle to a nearby house, where he succumbed to his injuries,” said police spokesperson Brig Tembinkosi Kinana.

The next morning, 43-year-old taxi boss Gcobani Toto, who was allegedly the target of a failed hit in July, was fatally wounded in his Audi Q7 after dropping his child off at school in Port Elizabeth.

“The 35-year-old wife walked their child into the school. Upon returning to the vehicle, where the husband was waiting, an unknown person approached the vehicle and fired a shot through the driver’s side.

“Another unknown person also approached and fired more shots. Both suspects got into a waiting white VW Polo and sped off,” said Kinana. Toto's wife was not injured.

Police would not speculate on the motive behind this week's killings. No arrests have been made.

Provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Liziwe Ntshinga said: “We committed ourselves to uproot taxi violence and to arrest those in the taxi industry who have no regard for law and order.”