In South Africa’s volatile underworld, particularly within the taxi industry of KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng, hitmen known as izinkabi operate as enforcers of a brutal system fueled by greed, power, and corruption.
These hired killers, often drawn from impoverished communities, eliminate rivals for as little as R500. Yet, when izinkabi become liabilities—knowing too much about their powerful employers—they risk becoming targets themselves, either by police or the very networks they serve. This cycle of elimination, driven by systemic corruption, perpetuates violence, undermines justice, and leaves communities trapped in fear.
Corruption is the lifeblood of the izinkabi system. The taxi industry, a multi-billion-rand enterprise, thrives on fierce competition over lucrative routes, with taxi bosses and even politicians allegedly hiring hitmen to eliminate rivals. A "code of secrecy and protection" shields these masterminds, often involving corrupt police officers who accept bribes to look the other way.
Economic desperation exacerbates this, as low-paid officers are susceptible to corruption, creating a "shortage of police who can be bought," as some sources grimly note. This systemic rot ensures that only one in five murder cases in South Africa is solved, allowing those who hire izinkabi to evade justice while their foot soldiers operate with impunity.
When izinkabi know too much—details about their employers, payment trails, or political connections—they become threats to the very networks that employ them. To silence them, these hitmen are often eliminated, either by rival factions or through police operations that raise questions about extrajudicial intent.
High-profile incidents, like the November 2024 shootout on the N3 highway in Mooi River, where police killed suspected hitmen, highlight the volatility of these encounters. While such actions may neutralize immediate threats, they come with profound risks.
Killing izinkabi prevents law enforcement from uncovering the masterminds behind contract killings. Hitmen hold critical information about the taxi bosses and politicians who hire them, but dead men tell no tales. This perpetuates a culture of impunity, as the true orchestrators remain untouched.
Eliminations can spark retaliatory attacks, as seen in the 2024 KwaMashu Hostel mass shooting linked to rivalries between hitmen. These conflicts spill into communities, endangering bystanders, as evidenced by a stray bullet killing a commuter in Bergville.
When police kill izinkabi in operations lacking transparency, communities suspect complicity with corrupt networks. This deepens distrust in law enforcement, particularly in areas like KwaZulu-Natal, where taxi violence is a daily reality.
The taxi industry’s ability to replace fallen hitmen with new recruits, drawn from economically desperate populations, ensures that eliminations have little lasting impact. Without addressing root causes, new izinkabi emerge to fill the void.
The persistence of izinkabi is rooted in South Africa’s stark inequalities and systemic failures. Economic desperation drives young men to become hitmen, while corruption in law enforcement and politics protects their employers. The taxi industry’s entanglement with political figures creates a web of influence that stifles investigations.
Contract killings are designed to leave minimal forensic evidence, and with corrupt officials obstructing justice, convictions are rare. Even when izinkabi are arrested, as in the 2017 Richards Bay case involving six hitmen, the broader networks remain intact, shielded by power and money.
Communities live in fear of public shootouts, like the Ratanda hit where residents witnessed izinkabi gunning down a businesswoman. Police operations, often militarized, risk collateral damage, as seen in the Mooi River shootout where bullets riddled a police vehicle but miraculously spared civilians. Even the hitmen themselves, described as "battle-scarred," suffer psychological tolls, trapped in a life where they are both predators and prey.
Eliminating izinkabi may offer temporary relief, but it fails to dismantle the system that creates them. To break this cycle, South Africa must address the root causes:Root Out Corruption: Strengthening oversight and improving police pay could reduce bribery and complicity, enabling more effective investigations.
Enhancing forensic capabilities and prioritizing arrests over lethal force would increase convictions and expose those who hire hitmen. Tackling poverty and unemployment would reduce the supply of desperate individuals willing to become izinkabi. Building trust between police and communities could improve intelligence-gathering, making it harder for criminal networks to operate in secrecy.
The elimination of izinkabi who know too much is a symptom of a deeper malaise: a corrupt system that protects powerful criminals while sacrificing its foot soldiers and communities. Each killing, whether by police or rival factions, perpetuates a cycle of violence, fear, and impunity. South Africa cannot shoot its way out of this crisis. Only by dismantling the networks of corruption, addressing economic desperation, and restoring trust in justice can the country hope to end the reign of the izinkabi and the bloodshed they bring.
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