At least 10 taxi drivers were beaten up in renewed taxi conflict over routes in Rustenburg yesterday, taxi groups said.

At least 10 taxi drivers were beaten up in renewed taxi conflict over routes in Rustenburg yesterday, taxi groups said.

The chairman of Tlhabane Taxi Owners Association (TTOA), Simon Mogapi, alleged that their drivers were assaulted when taxi operators from the Geelhout Taxi Association (GTA) forcibly removed passengers from their taxis at Geelhout Park near Rustenburg.

He said TTOA members went to Geelhout Park yesterday to load passengers there as their operating licences allowed them to do that.

"Our drivers were assaulted and passengers off-loaded from our taxis," he said.

Spokesman for the GTA Elvis Moualefe said their taxis were still using the old radius-based permit while awaiting their route-based operating licences.

"TTOA stormed into our route while negotiations were continuing," he said.

Rustenburg police said assault cases had been opened against taxi operators. - Sapa