Six armed robbers boarded a Roodeport Metrobus at the corner of Hendrik Potgieter and Ontdekkers roads earlier today and opened fire.

The 59-year-old bus driver, Ace Marwala, was shot in the abdomen while trying to protect his passengers after the gunmen opened fire.

“The men started shooting randomly, possibly to scare the passengers and the bus driver intervened,” said Metrobus spokesperson Esther Dryer.

ER24's Werner Vermaak says, “The bus driver was shot in his stomach. He’s in a serious condition, as well as a passenger who was grazed along his abdomen.”

Passenger Constance Muntswu said that they began screaming when the gunmen opened fire but were told to 'shut up' by the robbers who made off with handbags and cellphones.

In an interview with eNCA  passenger Shirley Mattera said it took the police an hour to arrive at the scene after she had called them at about 5:20am.

Although traumatised by the incident, Mattera said she has no choice but to use Metrobuses again.

"I feel bad about the state of South Africa's public transport as a whole but, only the perpetrators can be blamed for this incident - it is a shame that it is our own brothers doing this to us."

According to Eyewitness News the search is now on for five suspects in the Tarlton area.

Sources: www.enca.com, ewn.co.za