A 30-year-old taxi driver, based in Musina, Mr AE Rammbuda, was allegedly shot dead by a motorist, following a scuffle over passengers.

The incident is part of an ongoing conflict involving private motorists and Musina taxi drivers operating along the N1 highway.

The Musina SAPS spokesperson, Insp Francois Celliers, said the incident occurred on Wednesday, April 30, at around 17:00 near a bakery in the Mushongoville suburb in Musina, following a high-speed chase.

"Our preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect, a customs clearing agent at a local shipping company at the Beit Bridge border post, had just left work and then decided to pick up some people who were traveling to Musina. However, this did not go down well with Mr Rammbuda, who then allegedly teamed up with five other taxi drivers. They got into their taxi before they subsequently chased the suspect along the N1 highway," he said.

Soon after dropping off the passengers, the suspect then fled to his house in Mushongoville, where he locked himself inside his house. Celliers said Mr Rammbuda, together with his colleagues, pursued the suspect amid threats to assault him. "Mr Rammbuda, who was leading the gang, then allegedly kicked the door open, resulting in the suspect’s pulling out a pistol and subsequently shooting three warning shots in the air to deter the group from entering his house. However, the taxi drivers allegedly kept charging towards him.

"He then shot Mr Rammbuda in the forehead and the latter died instantly," he said.

The victim’s colleagues fled in different directions and the suspect then went to the Musina Police Station where he handed himself over to the police, leading to his arrest and the subsequent seizure of a firearm.

The body of the deceased was taken to the Musina Government mortuary.

The latest incident comes barely a fortnight after another South African taxi driver was hit and seriously injured by a Zimbabwean motorist whom he was trying to intercept along the N1 road for ferrying locals who were coming from shopping in Musina.

Of late, South African taxi operators have reportedly engaged in a raging war against Zimbabwean and other private motorists traveling along the N1 highway. They accuse them of killing their business by "snatching" their clients. They have also descended on their Zimbabwean counterparts, whom they also accuse of invading their territory. In the process, this has resulted in the some of taxi operators’ manning illegal road blocks along the N1 highway between Beit Bridge and Musina.