THINGS on the roads in KZN returned to normal yesterday.
Following Wednesday’s taxi strike, which left one person dead and two seriously injured, transport officials gave in to the taximen’s demands and released more than 200 impounded vehicles.
After a meeting that ended in the early hours of yesterday morning, KZN Taxi Alliance secretary Bafana Mhlongo said the officials had also agreed to stop impounding taxis with no permits.
“We told them the permit problem was caused by the department, which didn’t issue them when they were supposed to. We also agreed that instead of charging us R1 500 to release one taxi, the fee would be R1 000,” he said.
During Wednesday’s taxi strike, driver Sbusiso Zulu (29) from Mtubatuba in northern KZN was shot and killed, while two of his colleagues were wounded. According to sources, the shooter was defending himself after being chased by Sbusiso and his colleagues. The shooter had given a lift to a woman hitchhiking on the side of the freeway.
According to a witness, the man jumped into a passing police car and fled the scene.
Mtubatuba Taxi Association chairman Sfiso Mlungwana confirmed the death but said he was not able to comment further.
Meanwhile, taxi drivers in Durban went on the rampage and attacked people. Two people were seriously injured after jumping off a bridge while trying to escape.
Emergency Rescue Services spokesman Peter Rossouw said the two were rushed to Addington Hospital.
Police spokeswoman, Lieutenant Nqobile Gwala, said a 39-year-old suspected of shooting Sbusiso was arrested.
“The suspect mistakenly shot himself in the thigh and was taken to hospital under police guard. He will be charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder,” Gwala said.
