Eastern Cape taxi boss, Luvuyo Figlan (47), was shot dead on Sunday night, 14 September, after confronting a man he believed had stolen copper pipes from his late mother’s property in Mdantsane NU9.
The incident unfolded just after 9pm, when the person responsible for caring for the family’s homes noticed water flowing heavily from the back of the house. Upon investigating, he discovered that copper water pipes had been removed and spotted a suspect, known to him, in the yard with the stolen material. He immediately alerted Figlan.
Figlan, who lived in Beacon Bay, travelled to the house and together with the witness went to confront the suspect. The suspect denied the theft, and Figlan attempted to drag him toward his car with the intention of taking him to the nearby police station to make a report.
During the confrontation, as Figlan pulled the suspect, the latter headbutted him. In the ensuing struggle, the suspect managed to grab Figlan’s firearm, which was holstered on his waist, and shot him once in the upper body. The suspect then fled the scene, firing shots into the air while running.
Figlan put himself into his vehicle and chased the suspect. The eyewitness followed on foot. In the pursuit, Figlan collided with the suspect’s path; the suspect fell but quickly got up and vanished through a footpath into the darkness.
Upon returning to his vehicle, Figlan was found slumped at the steering wheel. The witness tried to call for an ambulance, but their call to the emergency line went unanswered. Desperate, the witness ran to a nearby house for help. Eventually, a vehicle arrived to transport Figlan to hospital—but by then, he had already died. His body was discovered outside the car.
A murder case has been opened at the NU12 Police Station. Police spokesperson, Captain Hazel Mqala, confirmed that investigations are ongoing but no arrests have yet been made.
Gabs Mtshala, head of the Border Alliance Taxi Association, described Figlan as a prominent figure in the taxi industry. Figlan not only led the association but also owned a fleet of minibuses. Mtshala emphasised that Figlan’s death was not connected to the recent crimes targeting taxi bosses in the province.
“This is a sad loss of a person of his calibre, especially for the way he died,” Mtshala said.
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