A man believed to be behind a deadly taxi-related shooting in Montclair has been arrested in Umlazi.
Detectives from the KwaZulu-Natal Taxi Violence Unit apprehended 32-year-old Qaphelani Nyawose during an operation on August 28, 2025. He is accused of murdering 45-year-old Mohammed Abdul Hammid, who was gunned down outside a fast-food outlet on July 17.
Police said Hammid had gone to meet a taxi owner who promised him a work permit to join a local taxi association. While his wife went inside the store, Hammid stayed in his blue BMW. Moments later, a white Ford Ranger pulled up and its occupants opened fire, killing him instantly.
Metro Police officers spotted the suspects speeding away, sparking a high-speed chase along South Coast Road. The gunmen abandoned the Ranger, leaving behind an R5 rifle, ammunition, and other weapons before escaping in another vehicle.
Forensic evidence linked the attack to suspects from Umlazi’s Section A. This week, police moved in on Nyawose’s home, arresting him and detaining another man found with a stolen vehicle.
Nyawose made a brief appearance in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on August 29. He was remanded in custody and will return on September 5 for a bail hearing.
Meanwhile, police confirmed that the hunt continues for the remaining three suspects connected to Hammid’s murder.