The Vukanini Taxi Association in Mpumalanga has described the killing of the three of its drivers as an ambush. This follows a stand-off between taxi operators and bus operators for the past two weeks.
It is alleged that taxi operators are against bus operations in local townships.
Roads to and from Mbalenhle township were barricaded, vehicles entering the area were hijacked and used to block roads.
The association’s Chairperson Fanyana Sibanyoni says as an association they find the conduct of the police disappointing.
Meanwhile, the association says six of its members are in hospital in a critical condition. 29 people have been arrested so far.
“We were told that police came, broke the gate and came inside the rank and shot our drivers without the drivers saying anything to them and our drivers were shot, dead three of them. Six of them are in hospital. It is an ambush because more than a hundred kombis, all kombis that were inside the rank were damaged. Even our offices; you can go and look at them; they were damaged. Snookers where drivers are keeping themselves busy were damaged. They shot everything that is inside the rank. It was an ambush really and we are so disappointed that in our own government we are still behaving like we are still in apartheid government.”
