An SA Trucker has described the terrifying moments in a bus in Verulam, north of Durban, after the driver was shot dead while driving on Tuesday morning.
“I was sitting at the back seat when I suddenly heard gunshots ringing from the front of the bus, I immediately ducked my head because I was not sure what was happening,” said the trucker, who has chosen to be called Mpho.
“When the shots died down, screams from other passengers engulfed the bus and upon checking I saw the driver hanging lifelessly from the side of his seat, he was bleeding profusely, meanwhile the bus was beginning to rollback, the assistant quickly pulled the handbrake to stop the bus and everyone rushed to disembark from the bus,” explained Mpho.
The 31-year-old bus driver died on the scene.
Reaction Unit South Africa responded to calls by the public reporting the shooting at 07h03.
RUSA’s Prem Balram said “Reaction Officers converged on the scene and found a male slump on the driver’s seat with three gunshot wounds to his head. Paramedics declared him deceased a short while later.”
According to another witnesses that were on the Siza Baba Bus Service, a passenger entered the bus, drew a handgun and shot the driver in the head.
The suspect had been picked up as a passenger a short distance from the scene.
Balram said witnesses informed Reaction Officers that the bus was in motion when the driver was attacked. The vehicle then rolled back for a short distance before coming to a standstill in the centre of the road.
The suspect then fled the scene on foot. According to a witness, he was picked up in a white VW Polo. This has not been confirmed.
Three spent 9mm cartridges were recovered inside the bus.
It has been reported that the transport business belonged to the family of the deceased.
A case of murder is being investigated.
