Mary Papayya

Mary Papayya

Taxi operations are back to normal in Hluhulwe on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast after a shootout between local and Johannesburg taxi operators.

Five people were seriously wounded during the shootout between Gauteng and Hluhluwe drivers on Sunday at a petrol station, police said.

Hluhluwe operators allegedly object to Gauteng operators transporting visitors back to Johannesburg on their route.

Police spokesman Jabulani Mdletshe said the Hluhluwe taxi drivers complained that Gauteng drivers operated on their route without permission.

"The incident was allegedly sparked by an assault on a Gauteng operator," Mdletshe said.

"Taxi operators transported people from Johannesburg to the local reserve and wanted to take them back because they had paid for a return trip.

"But this apparently angered the Hluhluwe operators, who allegedly assaulted one of the Gauteng drivers. A shootout followed."

Four people were wounded and one seriously assaulted.

All the victims were taken to the Richards Bay Hospital.

No one has been arrested but police have opened five attempted murder dockets.