Stanger taxi rank turned into a war zone today leaving five people wounded by stray bullets.
The civilians were sitting in a stationary white and pink Maphumulo quantum when unidentified gunmen opened fire.
The floor of the taxi was covered with blood, the front tyres were flat and bullet holes covered the windows.
The injured passengers were taken to Stanger hospital by IPSS Medical Rescue.
IPSS paramedic Paul Herbst said one passenger had been shot in the shoulder, another in the back, and three people took bullets to the legs.
When the Courier arrived at the rank one of the Maphumulo drivers threatened our journalist, and instructed him not take photos.
Some of the vender’s at the rank were packing up their shops and leaving while Maphumulo taxi association drivers were arguing with police.
“Why are you closing down our rank? The people who was shooting us are working, if you are closing this rank, close the other one too,” said a driver.
The Stanger taxi rank is divided into the Stanger and Maphumulo sections.
While Maphumulo taxi drivers were in dispute with the police officers, KwaDukuza taxi owners and drivers seemed relaxed beside their security guards, fully armed with R5 riffles.
In a taxi from Stanger to Ballito passengers were traumatized and fearful.
“We are the ones who suffer when these people fight,” said one of the passengers who was in tears.
The cause of the violence remains unclear.
KZN SAPS spokesperson Thulani Zwane said police are monitoring the situation.
“No one has been arrested yet,” said Zwane.
In April one person was wounded during a shooting between security guards from rival taxi associations. And in July taxis arguing over routes once again held the town to ransom.
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