Eyewitnesses Simba Murebesi and Godfrey Tshirenjani said about 15 taxis ascended on the intersection and the taxi drivers started a fist fight. It seems when the taxi drivers could not solve their issues with fists, they resorted to gunfire.
Tshirenjani described the scene. “I first heard two shots, then people started screaming and running away from the scene and off the road, then I heard four more shots,” he said.
His colleague, Murebesi added,”As the taxi drivers were running away from the scene because they could hear police coming, they burned one taxi.”
Sandton police spokesperson Captain Kym Cloete said the police arrested one suspect and he was facing a charge of attempted murder. A firearm was confiscated and one other suspect was still on the run.
“There was a route dispute between two taxi associations,” said Cloete. She could not confirm claims by Murebesi that the two associations involved were from Alexandra township and Olievenhoutbosch.
“The taxi drivers again met at the same intersection on the morning [of 5 February],” said Cloete. She said they dispersed peacefully due to a police presence.
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