An unnamed man has become the third casualty of the growing unrest in Cape Town, as the taxi strikes which began to gather pace last week.

Security personnel clashed with looters outside a Shoprite in the township of Mfuleni when a truck delivering alcohol was stopped, raided and set alight.

Shots were fired after looters threw stones at the security guards. An unnamed man, who was not a security guard, was pronounced dead at the scene, while another woman was injured in the clash.

Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie, Western Cape police spokesperson, confirmed that a murder investigation has been opened.

"Dockets for murder, attempted murder and public violence have been opened for investigation after preliminary reports indicate that members of the community looted a delivery truck and pelted security forces with stones," said Lieutenant-Colonel Pojie.

He said the provincial serious and violent crime investigations unit has been assigned to probe the circumstances.

In response to escalating violence in the area, the public order police had to intervene to stabilise the situation.

"The public order police had to use stun grenades to disperse the rioting crowd and the investigation is ongoing," he said.

The incident is just one of many that have occurred since the taxi strikes began on Thursday.

That day, an unnamed man was shot and killed. The victim was said to be driving home when his car was stopped by looters and stoned before he was shot.

On Friday, a Cape Town Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officer was killed in a drive-by shooting in Nyanga. Zanikhaya Kwinana, 32, was shot dead by unknown gunmen whilst driving down Miller Road.

While the motive for the shooting is unknown, police have not ruled out that it was related to the ongoing strike.

Tensions boiled over on Thursday when several taxis were impounded by law enforcement officials, leading to violent clashes with taxi drivers.

Since then, several buses, trucks and private cars have been stoned and torched by rioters.