A total of nine taxis have been destroyed after a fire broke out at the Nyanga Taxi Rank in Cape Town in the early hours of Friday morning, reports Cape {town} Etc.
The taxis were set alight in Emms Drive just after 1am on Friday, 6 March.
According to police spokesperson Captain Frederick Van Wyk, Nyanga SAPS members noticed smoke coming from the taxi rank at around 1:30am while patrolling Terminus Road in Nyanga.
‘They immediately went and investigated, and found nine taxis alight,’ said Van Wyk. ‘Fire & Rescue Services were alerted to extinguish the fire.’
City of Cape Town Fire & Rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse confirmed that several crews were dispatched to the scene and were able to contain and extinguish the fire by 2am.
‘Preliminary reports are that five Toyota Quantums and four Iveco Sprinters were destroyed in the blaze,’ said Carelse.
‘No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is undetermined.’
Nine taxis have been destroyed in a fire at the Nyanga Taxi Rank
in Cape Town.The vehicles were set alight on Emms Drive just after 1am.
There is apparently a dispute over routes. pic.twitter.com/DLRxdgNbYH
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) March 6, 2026
While the cause of the fire has yet to be confirmed, several social media reports suggest the incident may be the result of taxi route disputes.
The Western Cape Legislature’s ANC spokesperson for Mobility and Provincial Secretary of the SACP, Benson Ngqentsu, said he ‘vehemently condemns yet another wave of torching of minibus taxis in the Nyanga Taxi Rank’.
‘This egregious act of criminality cannot be tolerated under any circumstances,’ said Ngqentsu in a statement. ‘I urge the authorities to assert their authority and take decisive action to eliminate criminal elements from the minibus taxi industry.’
Ngqentsu added that the existing surveillance cameras on the premises should significantly aid the police investigation.
‘If these cameras are non-functional, the DA-led City of Cape Town will be held fully accountable. The perpetrators must be identified, apprehended and brought to justice without undue delay.’
Just under a year ago, almost 20 taxis were torched overnight at the Nyanga Taxi Rank in February 2025. The cause, at the time, was believed to be due to infighting within the Seawater association, which operates between Nyanga and Cape Town.
Captain Van Wyk added that SAPS members are still on the scene, with patrol vehicles dispatched to patrol all taxi routes and ranks.
An enquiry was registered for investigation
‘Anyone with information about this incident is kindly requested to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111,’ concluded Van Wyk
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Picture: @2BensonNgqentsu / X
