KEY POINTS
- Two Rea Vaya bus drivers were shot and killed in separate incidents in Soweto, prompting an indefinite suspension of bus services.
- The motive for the shootings remains unknown, and police are actively investigating.
- The attacks come amid ongoing tensions in the public transport sector, including the recent burning of 51 Putco buses in Mpumalanga.
Gauteng police are investigating the murder of two Rea Vaya bus drivers who were shot and killed in separate incidents in Soweto, leading to an immediate suspension of bus services in the area.
The first incident occurred in Protea Glen on Monday night, February 3, when a bus driver was fatally shot at a traffic light along Wildchestnut Street.
The second killing took place in Mapetla, where an eyewitness – the last passenger on the bus – reported hearing gunshots before taking cover.
After the gun duel ceased, the passenger attempted to drive the bus but crashed into a wall. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while the passenger escaped unhurt.
Authorities Urge Commuters to Use Alternative Transport
Following the attacks, Rea Vaya issued a notice advising passengers to use other public transport as bus services in Soweto remain suspended until further notice. “Regular updates on the situation will be provided,” the statement read.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that murder cases have been opened and investigations are ongoing. She noted that the motive for the killings remains unclear.
This latest violence follows past tensions involving Rea Vaya and a local taxi association, which disrupted the company’s new fleet launch last year over alleged registration issues.
The shootings also come just a week after 51 Putco buses were torched in Mpumalanga, reportedly by a group of suspects in a white Toyota Quantum. Two suspects, aged 29 and 37, have been arrested and face charges of malicious damage to property and business robbery.
