Five killed, cop among 9 injured in Centurion mass shootings

Five people were shot dead and nine others were wounded in separate shooting incidents in Olievenhoutbosch and Wierdabrug on Monday.

Police spokesperson Brig Mathapelo Peters said the first incident happened near the Plaza Taxi Rank in Olievenhoutbosch at 5am.

Peters said a driver of a taxi patrol vehicle was shot dead, while three passengers in the vehicle survived the attack and were rushed to hospital.

Just before 7pm, a vehicle without number plates allegedly stopped next to a taxi in Wierdabrug, three gunmen got out and opened fire. Three men were shot dead in the taxi.

The perpetrators fled the scene.  

In the last incident, a police officer was shot and wounded near a mall in Olievenhoutbosch.

“Shots were allegedly fired randomly from an unknown vehicle,” Peters said.

Six other victims sustained injuries and one person was declared dead on the scene.

Provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela has deployed maximum resources to ensure the perpetrators are apprehended.

“As the police, we are duty bound to ensure the safety of commuters who rely on taxis as a means of transport, especially during this festive season period, where people will be travelling long and short distances to different destinations,” Mawela said.

Cases of murder and attempted murder were opened.