Nine taxis were destroyed in a fire at Nyanga Taxi Rank in Cape Town in the early hours of Friday morning.

The vehicles were set alight on Emms Drive shortly after 1am on Friday, 6 March. According to SAPS spokesperson Captain Frederick van Wyk, Nyanga police officers spotted smoke while patrolling Terminus Road at about 1:30am. They then moved in to investigate and found nine taxis burning.

Fire & Rescue teams were called to the scene and managed to bring the fire under control within a short time.

Fire Brought Under Control by 2am

City of Cape Town Fire & Rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said several crews responded to the incident and extinguished the blaze by 2am.

Carelse said preliminary reports show that five Toyota Quantums and four Iveco Sprinters were destroyed.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, with investigators still working to establish exactly what happened.

Police Remain on Scene as Probe Continues

Van Wyk said SAPS members remained on the scene after the fire, while patrol vehicles were also sent out to monitor taxi routes and ranks in the area.

An enquiry has been registered for investigation.

Police have urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stop.

Fresh Concern Over Violence at Nyanga Rank

The incident has again raised concern about violence linked to the taxi industry in Nyanga.

Western Cape Legislature ANC spokesperson for Mobility and SACP provincial secretary Benson Ngqentsu condemned the torching and called it criminality that could not be tolerated. He also said surveillance cameras at the rank should help investigators.

The latest fire comes less than a year after another major torching at the same rank. In February 2025, almost 20 taxis were destroyed overnight. At the time, the fire was believed to be linked to infighting within the Seawater association, which operates between Nyanga and Cape Town.

For now, the motive behind Friday’s fire remains unclear. What is certain is that nine taxis have been lost, and police are now under pressure to find those responsible.