A MAN was shot and wounded and hundreds of commuters were left stranded yesterday as two taxi groups fought over routes in Sekhukhune, Limpopo.

A MAN was shot and wounded and hundreds of commuters were left stranded yesterday as two taxi groups fought over routes in Sekhukhune, Limpopo.

The Apel Taxi Association and the Sekhukhune Taxi Association were allegedly fighting over the right to ferry commuters from Apel to Mohlaletsi village. The route is allegedly used exclusively by the Sekhukhune operators.

The route is regarded as the "cream" by taxi operators in the area as it is said to have the highest number ofcommuters.

The Apel association is demanding a piece of the cake "because it is within our municipal jurisdiction".

The two associations met with the Limpopo Taxi Council yesterday and were told to share the route. But Sekhukhune members said this solution was illegal because it was not governed by permits, as required by law.

Sekhukhune operations manager Kgagudi Mokgoatjana said: "We cannot share the route that we have been permitted to use.

"Government must stick to permit regulations and not impose other decisions on us."

The taxi rank at Apel was closed yesterday.

Commuters allegedly had to run for their lives when members of the rival associations started throwing stones at each other.

Defiant Apel association spokesperson Borwe Sekgala said: "We were the first association to be granted the licence to operate on that route. It's us or nothing."

The police were yesterday monitoring the situation.