Durban - Police are investigating murder and attempted murder charges after a Durban metro policeman allegedly shot a taxi rank manager four times in full view of passengers.
The incident happened on Saturday morning in Prince Edward Street.
The dead man, Musa Mdletshe, a rank manager, had been in a passing taxi when he was killed as it headed back to the taxi rank.
Fellow rank manager Musa Mazeka said they had raced to the scene after hearing gunshots. They found Mdletshe bleeding on the driver’s seat and the taxi driver shot in the foot. Both were taken to hospital but Mdletshe died later.
“What I heard from people who were there was that the metro police vehicle had jammed the taxi. The driver and Musa (Mdletshe) had jumped out to find out what the problem was,” he said.
According to bystanders, the policeman had grabbed Mdletshe, shoved him into the driver’s seat and shot him four times.
However, metro police spokesman Eugene Msomi
said police had been chasing a taxi that had jumped a red robot and Mdletshe and other drivers had tried to prevent them from doing their duty.
“Police had then decided to arrest the rank manger (Mdletshe), but he ran away and, as he ran, a taxi picked him up. However, the police managed to block the taxi and that is when the suspect pulled out a knife. The policeman then shot him,” Msomi said.
“The driver was arrested and charged with reckless driving as he had been speeding. Internal investigations are taking place,” he said.
Police said that Durban Central police station was investigating. The matter had also been reported to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate for further investigation.
The Mercury