Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape turned into a war zone shortly before midday on Tuesday when two taxi associations engaged in a shootout at a taxi rank in this quiet coastal town.
Police spokesperson, Priscilla Naidu, detailed the fatalities and injuries.
“It is alleged that three security officials from one taxi association in Lusikisiki were fatally injured while five people from the Port St Johns side sustained gunshot wounds,” said Naidu.
“In the attack, an 11-year-old boy was hit by a stray bullet and was taken to hospital for treatment. Three vehicles were torched.”
On Wednesday, no taxi operators were operating in the area, leaving many commuters stranded.
As schools reopen, many commuters are worried about the safety of their children who use scholar transport, which is operated by taxi owners.
A commuter said she was in a taxi on Tuesday when the shooting happened.
“I saw that little boy falling as the bullet hit him. This is such a dangerous time for schools to reopen. Schoolchildren like to walk around town after school,” she said.
Resident Nokwazi Kobo said she was extremely worried about her son’s safety.
“My son uses scholar transport. With the shootings directed at taxi drivers, how do we know if our children will be safe?”
Police confirmed the arrest of nine people and said they would remain in the region until the situation stabilised.
Last week a taxi owner, driver and conductor from the Port St Johns Taxi Association were kidnapped and killed execution style. One of them was thrown into the Umzimvubu River.
According to inside reports from the Port St Johns Taxi Association, the feud between the two taxi associations is due to a dispute over a taxi route.
“The Lusikisiki Taxi Association refused to let our taxis into the Mthambalala village just outside Lusikisiki. They are claiming that route as their own.”
“We retaliated by refusing all taxis from Lusikisiki entry into our town as well. That’s how the feud began,” an anonymous source told Scrolla.Africa.
Port St Johns municipal spokesperson, Simthandile Ford, said: “We continue to plead with road users to refrain from using R61 Lusikisiki coming to Port St Johns. We also urge people to avoid going into town unless it’s an emergency.”
Pictured above: A torched vehicle in the middle of the Port St Johns CBD.
Image source: Supplied
