A taxi driver was shot dead while driving along the R617 just outside Merrivale in Howick, KZN, this afternoon.

According to The Witness, the driver is also said to be the owner of the taxi. The identity of the driver cannot be revealed as yet.

The taxi, carrying a full load of commuters, was en route to KwaHhaza outside Mpophomeni from Pietermaritzburg.

According to eyewitnesses, the shooter posed as a passenger sitting in the front seat. The man shot the driver once in the head and jumped off the taxi.

The incident occurred when the taxi slowed down for speed humps, and the sound of the gunshot sent panic through the vehicle and to street vendors.

“The taxi continued to drive for about 200m before it veered off the road and crashed. At some point on the speed humps it looked like it will crash on the side. The shooter jumped off and ran away. When the police arrived, he was nowhere to be seen,” said an eyewitness.

When The Witness arrived at the scene, fear was palpable among the passengers, who had scattered out of the taxi, leaving their groceries behind. Elderly women were among the passengers who all fled the scene in terror, unsure if there was another shooter on board.

Midlands EMS operations director Roland Robertson said a number of passengers sustained injuries and were treated at the scene.

The motive behind this brazen attack is still unknown, and authorities are investigating the incident.

The community members who were at the scene were in shock and questioned the motive of the shooting.

Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel.

Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.