A Newsroom Afrika journalist sustained injuries to his face after being shot by a rubber bullet during clashes between taxi drivers and police in Mpumalanga, this morning.
The news broadcaster's Mpumalanga correspondent Mweli Masilela, had been covering clashes between the two groups at various taxi ranks in the Mbombela CBD when the incident took place.
Masilela had to seek medical attention for the rubber bullet wound on his left cheek.
“ I’ve been shot here; it’s hectic,” said Masilela to SowetanLIVE.
Although he couldn’t immediately say where the shots came from, it is believed that the police had been using rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
Spokesperson of the Mpumalanga police Brig Leonard Hlathi told Sowetan that he was trying to get more information on the incident.
“I’m not privy to the information as we speak, let me speak to the officers on site,” said Hlathi.
The clashes are a result of a decision by taxi operators to defy the government's 70% loading capacity regulation.
Santaco issued an order for taxis to load full capacity as of today (Monday) after they complained about the government’s Covid-19 relief fund.
Journalist shot with rubber bullet during clashes between taxis drivers and police in Mpumalanga
Image: Gallo Images/Foto24/Lulama Zenzile
A Newsroom Afrika journalist sustained injuries to his face after being shot by a rubber bullet during clashes between taxi drivers and police in Mpumalanga, this morning.
The news broadcaster's Mpumalanga correspondent Mweli Masilela, had been covering clashes between the two groups at various taxi ranks in the Mbombela CBD when the incident took place.
Masilela had to seek medical attention for the rubber bullet wound on his left cheek.
“ I’ve been shot here; it’s hectic,” said Masilela to SowetanLIVE.
Although he couldn’t immediately say where the shots came from, it is believed that the police had been using rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
Spokesperson of the Mpumalanga police Brig Leonard Hlathi told Sowetan that he was trying to get more information on the incident.
“I’m not privy to the information as we speak, let me speak to the officers on site,” said Hlathi.
The clashes are a result of a decision by taxi operators to defy the government's 70% loading capacity regulation.
Santaco issued an order for taxis to load full capacity as of today (Monday) after they complained about the government’s Covid-19 relief fund.
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