Gunshots were fired and shops and minibus taxis set alight, causing pandemonium on Durban Road in Korsten, Gqeberha on Wednesday afternoon.

Pedestrians, shoppers and motorists fled in all directions to get to safety when the violence erupted.

A Herald photographer on the scene counted at least eight gutted taxis. Three more were damaged and two other vehicles were burnt out.

According to an eyewitness, a motor accident between two men sparked the violence.

The woman, who did not want to be named for fear of her safety, said moments after the accident happened the two men got into a verbal altercation which led to a fist-fight.

“They started arguing. She alleged that one of the men, a Somali, pulled out a gun and shot the other man, presumed by onlookers to be a taxi driver.

“There was a shoot-out. People started to set the Somali shops in Durban Road alight and in turn they started burning the taxis.”

Another person on the scene said he had witnessed the taxi driver fighting with the "Somali man".

Ward 11 councillor Abraham Isaacs said it was not clear at this stage what had happened.

Police spokesperson Col Priscilla Naidu confirmed that the police were on the scene and trying to restore calm.

HeraldLIVE