A British doctor was shot dead in Cape Town after apparently taking a wrong turn from the airport during a violent week-long transport strike.
The unnamed 40-year-old tourist was with two others when his car was approached by a group of people in a notorious neighbourhood of the city and he was shot.
Police sources said the car is believed to have taken a wrong turn from the nearby international airport before ending up in the Nyanga area, which has in the past been infamous for its high murder rate.
The killing happened on the first day of a violent week-long strike by the city’s minibus taxis, which has since seen a total of five people killed, including a police officer.
A travel alert from the British High Commission warns tourists in the city to be cautious of the protests and that “GPS services could divert you into less secure areas or into ongoing protests”.
Roads blocked and buses torched
The strike has brought South Africa’s tourist hub to a halt, as taxi routes carrying many Cape Town workers have been halted, roads have been blocked and some buses torched.
South Africa’s taxi union began the strike last week in protest at local authorities impounding vehicles for violations such as driving without a licence or registration plates.
Taxi drivers alleged the authorities were deliberately targeting them and impounding vehicles for minor infractions which might earn other drivers only a fine.
The city’s mayor has said the crackdown is to improve safety for commuters and has accused the protesters of conducting a campaign of violence to put pressure on the city. Vehicles have been stoned and at least seven city buses have been set alight.
The main taxi union denies its members are responsible for the violence.
Minibus taxis are the main mode of transport for many in South Africa and the taxi network completes an estimated 1.5 million passenger trips each day in the Western Cape province which includes Cape Town.
The disruption has kept hundreds of thousands of children out of school and meant many shops and businesses have closed because of staff shortage.
