At least 8 minibus taxis have been burned on Durban road, Korsten in Gqebherha (Port Elizabeth) after a fight broke out between a motorist and a taxi driver.
It is alleged that the minibus taxi crashed into a car in a case suspected to be the ‘ehailing cars vs taxis war’ road rage which has been going on in the area.
The motorist allegedly pulled out a gun and fired at the taxi driver who also pulled out his gun and fired back.
It was not immediately clear if any of them sustained injuries.
Shops and minibus taxis were set alight, causing pandemonium on Durban Road.
Read also: Watch: Taxi road rage attack on e-hailing car in PE goes viral online
Pedestrians, shoppers and motorists fled in all directions to get to safety when the violence erupted.
Three more were damaged and two other vehicles also burnt out.
According to an eyewitness, a car accident between a Somali man and an African male is what sparked the problem.
The woman, who did not want to be named for fear of her safety, said moments after the accident happened the two men got into a verbal altercation which led to a fist-fight.
“They started arguing.
“The next thing the Somali man pulled out a gun and shot the other gentleman, whom everyone on the scene presumes is a taxi driver.
“There was a shoot-out.
“People started to set the Somali shops in Durban Road alight and in turn, they started burning the taxis.”
Korsten Port Elizabeth @FatalMoves @JanineCLee @GardmedPE @AlgoaFM @HeraldNMB @EMER_G_MED @jour_maine @ER24EMS @AccidentAwareSA @EWNTraffic @stanfromibf @ROADIMS @Netcare911_sa @EMERGCONTROL @jacquesbrand @_ArriveAlive @SAPoliceService pic.twitter.com/y92XuacYt0
— Port Elizabeth Traffic Updates (@trafficupdatePE) October 13, 2021
Another person on the scene said he had witnessed the taxi driver fighting with the Somali man.
Ward 11 councillor Abraham Isaacs said it was not clear at this stage what had happened.
Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu confirmed police were on the scene and trying to restore calm.
Korsten Port Elizabeth @FatalMoves @JanineCLee @GardmedPE @AlgoaFM @HeraldNMB @EMER_G_MED @jour_maine @ER24EMS @AccidentAwareSA @EWNTraffic @stanfromibf @ROADIMS @Netcare911_sa @EMERGCONTROL @jacquesbrand @_ArriveAlive @SAPoliceService pic.twitter.com/OaCyu6Ukdk
— Port Elizabeth Traffic Updates (@trafficupdatePE) October 13, 2021
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