Ian Cameron, chairperson of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police, has called for an urgent intelligence-led strategy against taxi violence in Cape Town. IOL reported the comments on 2 November 2026, after a series of shootings in the city. He questioned whether information gathered by officers on the ground was reaching the right people and being turned into action. On his account, the police have capable people in leadership who could run a stronger intelligence strategy, but the gathering and use of that information remains the problem. Police urged to act on intelligence as Cape Town taxi violence puts commuters at risk
What he wants done
"The challenge we have, I'm not convinced that the intelligence that's meant to be gathered on ground level is successfully gathered and operationalised."
Intelligence needed to be verified and passed to the officers who carry out raids, make arrests and run proactive operations. Technology could strengthen that work without a substantial increase in personnel. The Crime Intelligence Unit, in particular, should collect and analyse information to support investigations, prevent further violence and secure prosecutions.
"It is unacceptable that people are suffering while the police are mainly reactive to these situations. The Provincial Commissioner must develop and urgently implement intelligence-led strategies to quell the violence."
Commuters and the industry
Cameron appealed to stakeholders in the taxi industry to show restraint, and set proactive, intelligence-led policing and accountability as the way to protect people outside the conflict and restore stability for commuters. Continued violence threatened public safety, livelihoods, the reliability of public transport in Cape Town, and the city's economic fortunes.
"The violence is not desirable to the industry, the people who depend on taxis as a reliable mode of transport, or the economic fortunes of the city. The unfortunate thing is that ordinary people are caught in the middle of violence that could result in loss of life."
The consequences have already gone beyond the people directly involved. Two taxi owners were fatally shot in Epping in October. Disruptions affect commuters who rely on taxis to reach work and essential services, and add pressure on households that are already vulnerable.
The Epping shooting
Western Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa set out the service's account on 18 October. Patrol members from a taxi association were travelling in a sedan along Fisher Avenue in Epping on Friday 16 October when a Toyota Quantum attempted to block their vehicle. Seven men got out of the taxi and fired several shots. Two men, aged 45 and 46, were killed. Several spent cartridges were found at the scene. Two taxi owners shot dead in Epping as police arrest two suspects
Follow-up work by the Provincial Taxi Violence Unit led to the arrest of two suspects, aged 27 and 31, with links to the taxi industry. They faced murder charges and were expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Monday 19 October 2026. Further arrests were expected. Management of the South African Police Service in the Western Cape commended the detectives and said violence would be dealt with decisively.