Police have launched a murder and attempted murder investigation following a deadly shooting outside Atlantis Secondary School on Wednesday afternoon.
The incident unfolded on Palmer Avenue in Avondale shortly before 3pm. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), officers responded to reports of gunfire at approximately 2:50pm after an unidentified gunman allegedly approached a taxi that had stopped to pick up pupils and opened fire.
A 42-year-old taxi driver and a 14-year-old Grade 8 learner were fatally wounded. Two other teenage girls were caught in the crossfire — one sustained a gunshot wound to her back, while another was grazed by a bullet. Both were transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
Police have registered two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. The case will be investigated by the Provincial Detectives’ Taxi Violence Investigations Unit. Authorities believe the shooting may be linked to an ongoing dispute over local taxi routes, though the motive remains under investigation. No arrests have been made and a manhunt is underway.
A police spokesperson confirmed that investigators are pursuing several leads and appealed to members of the public to come forward with information. Additional patrols have been deployed in the area to enhance safety around schools and residential zones.
In a letter addressed to parents and guardians, Atlantis Secondary School principal Mrs M. J. Adonis confirmed that the shooting occurred outside the school gate and that one of the school’s Grade 8 learners had died from her injuries.
“It is with great sadness that we must inform you that a shooting incident occurred outside the school gate today when a taxi driver was shot,” the letter stated.
While the matter remains under police investigation and the school is unable to comment further, the communication noted that “it appears that the incident was not gang related and not aimed at any learner.”
Describing the situation as “a very sensitive time” for the bereaved family, learners, educators and the broader community, the school urged residents to refrain from speculation and from circulating graphic or sensitive footage on social media.
Trauma counselling services will be made available through Metro North Education Department psychologists and social workers, with Atlantis SAPS victim support services expected on site. Grade 10, 11 and 12 CAT tests scheduled for 26 February have been cancelled and will be rescheduled. School activities, including Civvies Day and a Valentine’s Party, have also been postponed.
In a joint statement, Western Cape MPPs Benedicta van Minnen and Nomafrench Mbombo expressed deep sadness over the incident, describing it as unacceptable that communities — particularly children — are not safe.
They called for the rapid deployment of additional police resources to Atlantis and other high-risk areas, the prioritisation of gang- and gun-related investigations, strengthened intelligence-driven operations to remove illegal firearms, and for the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) to investigate the matter.
Police investigations are ongoing.
