Taxi commuter killed in shootout with Vryheid police

A taxi passenger, whose behaviour escalated from irritable to murderously violent during a long distance commute, was eventually shot and killed by police on the Hlobane Road yesterday.

Vryheid police officers said they reacted in self defence, after the passenger, identified as Mduduzi Mbatha, opened fire with a 9mm pistol, while trying to evade arrest.

Mr Mbatha had been travelling in a taxi from Johannesburg to Hlabisa. Passengers claimed that he had been irritable since the taxi left Wanderers Taxi Rank in Johannesburg, having complained about the music that the driver was playing on the radio.

His irritability allegedly escalated to violence without provocation and he began assaulting other passengers and then attempted to strangle a woman who asked him to calm down.

Witnesses said there was no explanation for the man’s sudden outburst.

The driver stopped the taxi on the Hlobane Road just outside of Vryheid and passengers fled from the vehicle in fear, contacting the local police for help.

Upon their arrival at the scene, the police tried to apprehend Mbatha who allegedly pulled out a 9mm pistol and fired at them. The police retreated to their vehicle and fired back in self-defence.

Mr Mbatha sustained fatal injuries and was declared dead on the scene.

His firearm was found to be unlicensed.

A case of attempted murder was opened against Mr Mbatha and a friend he had been travelling with in the taxi was arrested for illegal possession of ammunition.