Taxi drivers were at each other’s throats with at least two dead.
Image: Eye Witness News
It is reported that two taxi drivers were killed instantly at the scene of two crimes after what appears to be a taxi war on Wednesday afternoon. On the other hand, in what may or may not be a follow up to the killing of the two men, two other men were shot dead in another taxi related incident.
It all started when a group of men were chasing a taxi driver along William Nicol Drive in Bryanston. It is reported that a couple of men wielding knobkerries and other weapons were chasing after the man baying for his blood in an incident which happened around 1 pm and in full view of members of the public. The man is said to have tried to outrun them and attempted to seek refuge in a service station without success. It is said that when he could not get into the shop, he tried to run for it again when he tripped and fell. It is at this moment that the mob of taxi drivers caught up with him and started beating him mercilessly.
According to eye witness accounts, while the mob was in the process of beating the driver, another driver in a quantum, who went by the name of Jabu and who is well known at the Bree Taxi Rank seemed to be so angry with the taxi driver that, despite the fact that he had been told that the other drivers had taken care of the problem driver, he still insisted that he would take out his knife and stab the already prone man several times before taking a stone and throwing it onto the man’s head. According to one eye witness, the man’s face had ‘caved in’.
Just as the entourage was leaving the scene, a taxi drove past whereupon somebody shouted, “There’s another one,” and every one started giving chase. While this was all happening, Jabu stood in front of the taxi and spread his arms in a gesture of trying to stop the taxi. The driver of the taxi, realizing the danger he would be in if he stopped, drove on, dragging a hapless Jabu with him for several meters. Jabu was left dead on the spot.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, another taxi driver was injured in a drive by shooting on Ondekkers road in Roodepoort in what police also believe is taxi related violence. According to police spokesman, Kay Makhubela, the taxi drivers were apparently holding a meeting in an open area when a car drove by and started shooting at them. The car did not stop and after they had left, the taxi drivers realised that one of them had been shot in the foot. He is in hospital and the police are on the lookout for the men in the car.
