JOHANNESBURG - Two pedestrians have died in an accident in Soweto.
JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla said JMPD officers were responding to an incident where a road was blocked off due to an ongoing wage dispute by two taxi associations -- Witwatersrand African Taxi Association (Wata) and Nancefield Dube West Association (Nanduwe).
"While officials were reporting to the scene, they were involved in an accident with another vehicle," he said.
"Unfortunately, one pedestrian was declared deceased on scene while another died at a hospital."
Fihla said police have been notified and investigations into the matter continue.
Meanwhile, Wata chairman Hamilton Miya confirmed that two of their members who are taxi owners were allegedly shot and killed during the demonstration between themselves and Nanduwe.
The dispute is a result of route disputes, a long-standing conflict between the two associations
This is despite a judgment by the High Court in Johannesburg on 3 March which ruled in favour of Wata after Gauteng Provincial Regulatory Entity (GPRE) granted Nanduwa the right to load passengers and to “bind" on specified routes operated by WATA’s members.
- eNCA's Manqoba Mchunu is at the scene.