Tensions high in Korsten as police raid shop for weapons, fire stun grenades

Three firearms confiscated, a go-slow from taxi drivers and spaza shop owners bolting their doors — this was the aftermath of the clashes that saw eight taxis set alight and three Gqeberha township shops go up in flames.

So frightful was the scene that unfolded in Durban Road on Wednesday that national police minister Bheki Cele jetted into the city on Thursday in an attempt to defuse the tensions. 

Cele vowed that police officers from around the country would flood Korsten if the sporadic and vigilante acts of violence did not come to an end.

A seemingly innocent fender- bender quickly spiralled out of control on Wednesday, from a physical altercation to a businessman’s son allegedly being doused in petrol.

Later, innocent people lost their livelihoods. 

On Thursday, despondent men and women were  seen cleaning up the soot and rubble after their modest shops were petrol-bombed on Wednesday night.

Shop owners in Kwazakhele and Zwide were targeted. 

Taxi drivers were also left counting the cost of Wednesday’s violence. 

The situation in Korsten remained volatile on Thursday, with police firing stun grenades  to avoid a standoff with an angry mob angered that officers had raided  one of the locally-owned stores, Thanda Bantu.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said three licensed firearms were confiscated during the raid as there had been allegations of shots being fired during the course of Wednesday’s mayhem. 

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Video footage of Wednesday’s events, which quickly went viral, showed unknown men armed with firearms walking the streets.

According to Naidu, the firearms would be sent for ballistic tests. No arrests were made. 

It was the son of the co-owner of the Thanda Bantu store who was allegedly doused in petrol.

Mohammed Ahmed had been driving his Audi in Durban Road when he was allegedly cornered by angry taxi operators. 

Moments earlier, there had been an accident between a taxi and an unknown foreign national. It is not clear why the mob turned on Ahmed.

Regardless, he appeared to have borne the brunt, with his vehicle set alight.

He managed to flee after petrol was allegedly thrown onto him as well.

Mohammed’s father, Samat, said the police conducted an illegal raid on their premises in search of firearms.

“They are out here looking for guns. It is no secret that we have firearms, but they are legally registered firearms.

“The police do not have the right to rock up and take our protection away from us, but they allow the taxi drivers to do whatever they want,” he said.

Samat said Mohammed could have died when he was allegedly attacked, doused with petrol and his car set alight on Wednesday. 

According to Samat, the drama unfolded a few metres from their store when the taxi driver and the vehicle of an unknown foreign national collided. 

Mohammed wanted to move his vehicle to safety when the mob allegedly pounced on him.

“That fight spilt over to our doorstep,” he said.

But a shop owner who did not want to be named said the accident happened in front of his shop and not at Thanda Bantu. 

He said the men involved in the accident fought and a car was set alight. Both the men called for reinforcements and all hell broke loose, he said.  

“This incident spilt over to the taxi rank just down the road. They set the Audi on fire in front of Thanda Bantu.” 

At the Moonlight Shop in Konga Street, Zwide on Thursday, neighbours helped a homeowner clear the debris.

The homeowner, who did not want to be named, said she rented the garage, converted into a shop, to an Ethiopian national.

“Two taxis drove past the house at around 8.30pm. They stopped on the nearby street corner and two men got out,” she said.

Another witness said the men approached the shop as if they wanted to buy something.

“Then one of them pulled out a petrol bomb and threw it inside the shop. They ran back to the taxi and both taxis sped off.

“The shop burnt very quickly. Before we knew it, everything was on fire.”

The shop owner fled the scene and has not been seen since.

Konga Street residents were reluctant to talk about the incident.

They said Konga Street was usually a hive of activity for taxis, but they had seen very few passing through the street on Thursday morning.

It was while business owners and representatives of taxi associations were meeting to discuss an amicable way forward that the police swooped on the Thanda Bantu store.

When Cele arrived at the scene, he and his entourage were given an account of what had happened. This was while the raid was under way. 

Cele said that police would hunt down those who broke the law on Wednesday by brandishing and discharging their firearms in public and those who had committed arson.

He said several videos depicting people brandishing firearms would be used as evidence.

“The police will find those guns that were fired and send it for ballistic testing.”

Port Elizabeth District Taxi Association provincial spokesperson Mnikelo Ntantiso said the taxi driver who drove into the foreign national was attacked.

He said they were satisfied with the agreement reached with business owners so that business could continue as normal. 

Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Nqaba Bhanga said he was shocked and disgusted by Wednesday’s scenes in Korsten.

“We condemn the actions of people carrying rifles and machine guns openly and we condemn the burning of taxis and businesses.

“We call on the police that all individuals who committed crimes, whether they are part of the taxi industry or foreign nationals, should be arrested.”

Safety and security political head  John Best  commended the SA Police Service (SAPS) and metro police for their swift action when the violence erupted on Wednesday.

He said they managed to isolate the area quickly, allowing firefighters to enter the area and douse the burning taxis quickly.

After a marathon three-hour raid of Thando Bantu, police loaded the items that were seized in the store into a police vehicle and left.

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