A young man from Pretoria is beginning a long recovery after he was shot in the back in an apparent road rage incident that allegedly involved a taxi driver.

Pretoria Rekord reports that Dian Marais (18) and his brother were on their way home during peak-hour traffic when the confrontation unfolded. Within moments, it escalated into gunfire that left him with a serious spinal injury.

Marais says the incident happened last month. He alleges that an aggressive taxi driver attempted to force his way into their lane. When the 18-year-old driver refused to let him cut in, the situation quickly escalated.

The taxi driver allegedly tried to box their vehicle in before getting out and confronting them. He then began banging on their car, creating a tense and dangerous situation, according to Marais.

“I ignored him as I did not want any trouble. My brother got out of the car to check whether the taxi driver had hit our car.

“My brother noticed the driver reaching for a firearm and shouted for me to leave immediately,” says Marais.

As the brothers attempted to drive away from the scene, five shots were reportedly fired.

In what the family has described as a miracle, only one bullet struck Marais. It travelled through the boot of the vehicle before hitting him in the back, causing a fracture to his spine at the T12 vertebra.

Emergency medical care was sought, and Marais underwent a critical procedure to remove the bullet.

“Doctors told me I was just 2cm away from being paralysed.”

The operation was successfully carried out by Dr EK Thobejane and his team at Spine Intervention at Zuid-Afrikaans Hospital. The bullet was preserved as evidence for the police as part of an ongoing investigation.

Long road ahead

While his life was spared, the road to recovery remains long and uncertain. The spinal injury has left him facing extensive rehabilitation and ongoing medical care.

The sports lover says he is shaken and scared after the shooting. “I was badly shocked by the gunshot that hit me, and it’s also affecting the fact that I can’t work right now, so it’s a very difficult time for me.”

He has no medical aid, placing a significant financial strain on him and his family.

Marais says an arrest has been made, but police have not confirmed this or provided an update on the case.

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