The Gautrain's bus service is being targeted by "criminal elements, bent on disrupting" the service, a company spokesman said after the shooting of a bus driver yesterday.
In the second such shooting in less than a month, a 40-year-old driver was wounded yesterday when he stopped to pick up passengers at the corner of Theuns van Niekerk and Reddersburg streets in Centurion at around 8am.
He was taken to hospital in a stable condition and no passengers were hurt.
Police spokesman Captain Thomas Mufamadi said the driver was hit in the upper body and the suspects sped off in a blue Toyota Corolla.
"We are not sure how many [people] were involved in the shooting. A case of attempted murder and malicious damage to property has been opened," he said.
Bombela spokesman Errol Braithwaite said the trial-run during which the driver was shot was in preparation for routes being reinstated following the recent illegal strikes by Gautrain bus drivers which led to the dismissal of 318 drivers. The injured driver was a replacement driver.
He said bus depots had been blockaded, replacement drivers intimidated and buses stoned. There had been incidents of arson and attempted arson.
"[We are] extremely concerned about this apparent escalation in the criminal and violent nature of the attack," he said.
No one has been arrested in connection with the shooting.
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