Battle lines have been drawn between police and Durban's taxi bosses following a weekend blitz that led to the arrest of 300 drivers and President Jacob Zuma's taxi boss nephew.
The arrests come in the wake of the Mafia-style killing in Durban last Wednesday that left three people dead and three injured.
The killing spree has been linked to the continuing feud over lucrative routes between the Durban-based Sonke Long Distance Association and the Port Shepstone-based Zamokuhle Long Distance Taxi Association.
Zuma's nephew Mfundo Gcaba, who is accused of being at the heart of the taxi feud, is among 12 people who were arrested in connection with last week's shooting .
A formal bail application for 10 of the 12 suspects will be heard tomorrow.
Advocate Jimmy Howse, who is representing Gcaba and 10 others, claimed Gcaba was not armed when the shooting broke out although he was at the scene.
One suspect injured during the shooting is in hospital under police guard.
Another suspect, identified by police as Blondi Herrman, was among three people shot dead in Lindelani, north of Durban, on Sunday night.
Metro police officers were on high alert yesterday after scores of angry taxi operators protested against the arrests outside its headquarters in central Durban.
Police took a hardline stance against delinquent drivers who were operating on routes without the necessary permits.
Metro police spokesman Senior Superintendent Eugene Msomi said they had clamped down on drivers "operating on the routes they are not authorised to operate on".
The shooting suspects have been charged with three counts of murder, one of attempted murder and a count of public violence.
Said Msomi: "It is with that particular incident that we have observed a surge in violence. Over 90% of the conflict in the taxi industry is related to route encroachment.
"It means that the other parties will get frustrated and retaliate and we end up with these shootings."
Msomi said 300 taxi drivers were arrested and more than 300 vehicles impounded.
"This is a campaign sparked by the random shooting; we can no longer accept that.
"We do understand there are grievances, but we need to enforce the law or else there will be lawlessness."
Msomi said the seized taxis would remain in the pound until the cases were finalised.
"We are expecting tension, but we have been in this situation before. These people came this morning to protest. Whether they strike or whatever they do is up to them."
Six people have been killed since the taxi war broke out about two months ago.
Clampdown on taxis in Durban, 300 drivers arrested
Battle lines have been drawn between police and Durban's taxi bosses following a weekend blitz that led to the arrest of 300 drivers and President Jacob Zuma's taxi boss nephew.
The arrests come in the wake of the Mafia-style killing in Durban last Wednesday that left three people dead and three injured.
The killing spree has been linked to the continuing feud over lucrative routes between the Durban-based Sonke Long Distance Association and the Port Shepstone-based Zamokuhle Long Distance Taxi Association.
Zuma's nephew Mfundo Gcaba, who is accused of being at the heart of the taxi feud, is among 12 people who were arrested in connection with last week's shooting .
A formal bail application for 10 of the 12 suspects will be heard tomorrow.
Advocate Jimmy Howse, who is representing Gcaba and 10 others, claimed Gcaba was not armed when the shooting broke out although he was at the scene.
One suspect injured during the shooting is in hospital under police guard.
Another suspect, identified by police as Blondi Herrman, was among three people shot dead in Lindelani, north of Durban, on Sunday night.
Metro police officers were on high alert yesterday after scores of angry taxi operators protested against the arrests outside its headquarters in central Durban.
Police took a hardline stance against delinquent drivers who were operating on routes without the necessary permits.
Metro police spokesman Senior Superintendent Eugene Msomi said they had clamped down on drivers "operating on the routes they are not authorised to operate on".
The shooting suspects have been charged with three counts of murder, one of attempted murder and a count of public violence.
Said Msomi: "It is with that particular incident that we have observed a surge in violence. Over 90% of the conflict in the taxi industry is related to route encroachment.
"It means that the other parties will get frustrated and retaliate and we end up with these shootings."
Msomi said 300 taxi drivers were arrested and more than 300 vehicles impounded.
"This is a campaign sparked by the random shooting; we can no longer accept that.
"We do understand there are grievances, but we need to enforce the law or else there will be lawlessness."
Msomi said the seized taxis would remain in the pound until the cases were finalised.
"We are expecting tension, but we have been in this situation before. These people came this morning to protest. Whether they strike or whatever they do is up to them."
Six people have been killed since the taxi war broke out about two months ago.
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