Municipal strikers have turned the Middelburg CBD into a war zone, attacking a man in a bakkie alleged to have knocked down one of the rioting troublemakers.

The violence broke out after large numbers of municipal employees partaking in an unprotected strike, got notice that the alleged shooter of one of their colleagues, was released on R10 000 bail shortly before lunch.

Nqubeko Bright Mchunu (40) was granted bail, despite scores of striking municipal employees cordoning off the street in front of the courts, threatening to harm him and his vehicle.

He was arrested on August 18, the day after an altercation with striking municipal workers at the civic centre, resulting in shots allegedly being fired by Mchunu, killing one of the strikers.

The employees were all gathered in front of the Middelburg Magistrates’ Court and made their way up Walter Sisulu Street, throwing cinder blocks and bricks into the road, and pelting innocent resident’s vehicles with stones.

A shocking video shows a man in a white bakkie, stuck in a crossing, being pelted with stones and bricks, after all four his tyres were slashed.

The man remained trapped in his car as rioting municipal employees ordered him to get out of the vehicle.

A commentator on the video says that the crowd surrounding the man, set fire to his vehicle, hoping to smoke him out, or burn him alive.

According to voice notes accompanying the video, the man had allegedly knocked down a rioting worker, resulting in the mob attack.

The man refused to exit the bakkie, even after police had instructed him to.

He was not the only victim, with reports of numerous vehicles damaged received. Many were parents on their way to pick up their children after school.

Striking municipal employees have claimed that up to now they’ve engaged in peaceful protest, despite the civic centre garden having been set alight last night, and the attack on the civic centre preceding the August 17 shootings in which three other men were also wounded.

Tshepo Maseko was killed in the shooting.

Strikers have retreated and traffic is currently flowing with a strong police presence keeping an eye out for flareups of violence.

Residents are urged to avoid the CBD and municipal buildings.

During a recent council sitting, it was reported that the strike has cost the Steve Tshwete municipality R280m up to date.