Cape Town police nabbed an alleged hitman on Saturday morning in connection with the murder of a long-distance bus driver. 

The 28-year-old man is linked to the attacks on Intercape buses in Cape Town in March and April. Intercape driver Bongikhaya Machana, 35, was shot in April and died in hospital three days later.

Western Cape police spokesperson Brig Novela Potelwa said the suspect was arrested in the early hours of the morning.

“The suspect was arrested in Klapmuts, in the Cape winelands, during a tracing operation.

“He faces murder and attempted murder charges that relate to the two incidents and will appear in the Bishop Lavis magistrate's court on Monday.”

Potelwa said the police transport violence team was probing other cases linked to the attacks on Intercape buses.

“The arrest of the suspect will go a long way in efforts to curb the attacks on the long-distance bus service,” she said.

“Western Cape police with other agencies in law enforcement have since intensified deployments along identified routes and hotspots. Meanwhile, engagements with affected parties continue. Western Cape SAPS management has applauded the work of the team in efforts to apprehend those responsible for the violence.”

Provincial mobility minister Daylin Mitchell welcomed the arrest.

"In a recent meeting of the Western Cape parliament’s standing committee on transport and public works I made the point that these recent brazen and targeted attacks on long-distance buses are criminal and that the hitmen and their paymasters must be brought to justice.

"I am grateful for this breakthrough and the progress made by the SAPS in the investigation. The Western Cape government has adopted [a societal] approach to support the SAPS and law enforcement in whichever way possible to bring perpetrators of crimes to book. We will track this case in court and continue to follow up with SAPS until there’s a successful conviction," he said.

"Provincial traffic will continue to monitor bus operations and, with the support of the SAPS, be on the lookout for any ‘patrol vehicles’ that illegally stop and extort buses and other vehicles along key routes between the Western Cape and neighbouring provinces.

Intercape CEO Johann Ferreira also welcomed the arrest, saying: “The company hopes that this breakthrough leads to further arrests and the successful prosecution of the perpetrators behind a series of violent attacks, including shootings and stone-throwing, as well as other acts of intimidation.”

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