One person was killed and seven people wounded in a shooting at the Bree Street taxi rank in central Johannesburg on Monday, police said.
Superintendent Lungelo Dlamini said shots were fired between police and unknown men at about lunchtime. The reason was not immediately clear.
”Somebody fired shots and then people were wounded — we don’t know who fired those shots.”
Metro police spokesperson Inspector Edna Mamonyane said the shooting started soon after metro police officers arrived at the Metro Mall taxi rank.
The metro officers were responding to reports that taxis were blocking the road.
The taxi people appeared to be shooting at each other.
”One officer returned fire because there were obviously commuters waiting that were hit,” Mamonyane said.
”Paramedics were fighting to save some of the people’s lives.”.
Netcare spokesperson Mark Stoker said the deceased was originally airlifted to Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital by helicopter and was confirmed dead at 3.15pm.
The injured were taken to Johannesburg, Helen Joseph and Chris Hani-Baragwanath hospitals.
A member of the Faraday Taxi Association, who did not want be named, said the Dobsonville-Roodepoort-Leratong-Johannesburg Taxi Association (Dorljota) started ”the whole thing”.
”Faraday taxi drivers were loading passengers when the Dorljota taxis came and blocked the entrance. I just heard gunshots after that but I don’t know how it all started.”
A South African Press Association photographer who was driving past the rank said: ”Shots rang out and I saw two taxis’ windows shattered and people wounded.”
Dorljota spokesperson Zeblon Simelane said the Faraday taxi drivers had been blocking them from the taxi rank since Saturday.
”We even resorted to reporting the matter to police at the Johannesburg central police station, asking them to intervene,” Simelane said.
”Although the station commissioner sent some officers, the shooting did happen in their presence … We believe Faraday is behind this.”
Traffic was disrupted in streets around the taxi rank.
An eyewitness, identifying himself only as Oupa, said: ”Bang, bang, bang, bang … that’s all I heard from the top and I ran away.”
People lined the three tiers of the Bree Street taxi rank, looking on as police conducted investigations.
Taxi driver Solomon Maluleke said he would leave the occupation ”today” if he did not have to support his family.
”It makes me worry for my own safety … it is totally wrong, innocent people die [in past taxi violence].”
Maluleke said he ”ran away” as soon as he heard the shots.
Another onlooker, who declined to give his name, said it was sad that taxi passengers had been shot.
A 19-year-old Wits University student, who commutes daily from Soweto, said he feared for his life. He said he was considering using a train because taxis were ”not safe at all”.
”I am not going to use taxis anymore. I value my life.”
As he ran for cover, he lost his schoolbag in the chaos, said the student.
Another man claimed police were on the scene before the shooting. ”The police knew about this and they were here before it even happened,” he said.
Many taxi users were stranded inside the taxi rank as three of the entrances had been closed.
One witness said: ”Within a twinkle of an eye, the thing happened. I didn’t see much.”
There were five taxis within the cordoned-off area. One had shattered front, back and side windows.
Police were still on the scene by 3.30pm. — Sapa