By: Nomvula Ndlovu

The residents of Mpumalanga Township were left stranded at Hammersdale Junction Mall rank after taxi violence arouse on Thursday afternoon.
It is alleged that two taxi drivers fought over routes and ended up in a blood fight.

An eye witness, Sakhile Xulu, said that the drivers fought over which route they will load in.

“They had a physical fight then driver A who started the fight stabbed driver B on the chest. A man came out of driver B’s taxi and shot driver A,” said Xulu.

A number of similar incidents have occured in the township and the  Hammersdale Taxi Association forbids such behaviour.

“As the association, we do not promote this kind of behaviour by our drivers. They know the procedure, they went against our constitution and they will be dealt with accordingly,” said Chairperson James Hlophe.

Taxi commuter, Khayelihle Ngcobo said that they now feel side-lined even though they are the reason the business is so successful.

“They provide a service to us as the public and now they put our lives in danger. It seems they forget that it is us users that contribute towards their salaries,” Ngcobo said.

Police representative, Lieutenant Jackson Nhlobo said: “The two men put peoples lives in danger by firing a gun in a public place, their taxis have been impounded for the sake of investigation. The men are in Marainhill Hospital under police watch.”

No formal charges have been laid against the two men and their identities cannot be divulged because the incident is still under investigation.