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Seven killed in South African taxi ambush

Ap
Thursday 13 April 2000 00:00 BST
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Seven people were killed when gunmen ambushed and opened fire on a minibus taxi in South Africa.

The taxi was travelling on a dirt road near a sugar plantation in the Kranskop district, 47 miles north of Durban, when an unknown number of men jumped in front of the vehicle and opened fire, police spokesman Henry Budhram said.

AK 47 and 9 mm ammunition cartridges were found at the scene.

The shooting was thought to be related to ongoing taxi violence, Budhram said. The victims - six men and one woman - lived in the area where the shooting occurred.

South Africa's minibus taxi industry is riddled with poor safety and violent battles between the fiercely competitive companies. The minibuses are a major means of transportation for many poor black people.

The South African government is trying to revamp the industry by replacing the vehicles with larger, safer buses. Many drivers have demonstrated against the plan, saying it will bring vast unemployment.

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