President Jacob Zuma's nephew is at the centre of an explosive taxi battle over routes in Durban and the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast that has already claimed the life of one taxi boss. A taxi war is simmering in the province, sparking fears of violence and bloodshed amid a tense standoff over control of lucrative routes.Leading the battle over routes is Mfundo Gcaba, one of the much-feared Gcaba brothers. He is spearheading a hostile takeover of routes from other associations, using the Durban-based Sonke Long Distance Taxi Association.The brothers, who have blood ties with Zuma through their mother, own a taxi business empire led by Mandla Gcaba and his brothers Roma, Thembinkosi and Mfundo.They are arguably the most feared family in the KwaZulu-Natal taxi industry and have a reputation countrywide as untouchable dons of the multibillion-rand industry.Mfundo has been accused of dropping Zuma's name to bulldoze several South Coast taxi associations to enter into forced "agreements" to share their routes with Sonke. He also "annexed" routes in Highflats, Jolivet, Umzinto and Umzimkhulu.South Coast taxi operators, who spoke to the Sunday Times on condition of anonymity for fear of their lives, said Mfundo approached their associations accompanied by guards armed with AK47s.mini_story_image_vleft1They claim he threatened to "hit" them if they did not allow his fleet to operate on their routes.On Thursday, Zamokuhle Taxi Association, which has 62 taxi operators and 300 taxis, lodged an urgent interdict in the High Court in Durban to prevent Mfundo and Sonke from operating on their route between Durban and Port Shepstone.The order was granted on the same day, but Mfundo and his associates continue to use Durban's Brook Street taxi rank- despite the order directing them to leave the rank and allow Zamokuhle to operate.Amos Madlala and Jerome Nzama of Zamokuhle - represented by the firm of Zuma's lawyer Michael Hulley - said in court papers that despite their objections, Mfundo and Sonke started operating from the Brook Street rank, which services passengers to Port Shepstone, on June 22.Interestingly, Hulley has often been the chosen lawyer of the Gcabas.Madlala and Nzama claim that Mfundo told them they "were going to operate on the same route whether we agreed or not".The court papers stated: "It was abundantly clear that Mfundo was threatening our members with violence if they resisted their attempt to operate on Port Shepstone and Durban route."They accused Mfundo and Sonke of taking the law into their own hands and acting unlawfully by denying them access to their rank "through intimidation, threats and acts of violence. And considering the current levels to which tensions have simmered, and threat of violence by Sonke members, violent bloodshed will erupt."In its opposing affidavit, Sonke argued that Zamokuhle's allocation of the Brook Street rank was "questionable in that an association that does not have its principal place of business in Durban cannot be allocated a rank in Durban".However, taxi operators from other associations were not as brave as Zamokuhle and have allowed Mfundo to impose his vehicles on their routes.Said one taxi operator from Jolivet: "This is a matter of life and death. One of the taxi owners was killed within a week of objecting to this thing."Please don't use my name - I don't want my wife to be a widow."story_article_right1Another taxi operator from Highflats said Mfundo had already forcefully imposed their taxis on their route."We're totally against this, all of us. But we're afraid. It is difficult to act when someone says they are related to the president."A Port Shepstone taxi owner said Mfundo had "told us they own Durban and there was nothing we could do about that".But on Friday, Mfundo denied that he was using his family name and that of Zuma."This is a lie that is peddled by a small group of taxi operators from the South Coast who are hellbent on frustrating efforts to bring the rules governing the operation of their Durban routes in line with accepted industry," he said.The process was driven by Sonke, not him, and the association's approach had been that of "negotiation and consensus-building, not confrontation", he said."My entire family is widely recognised for the role it continues to play to ensure disputes in the taxi industry are resolved in the same peaceful manner that my elder brother [Mandla] employed to end the bloody conflict that ensued in the aftermath of our father's slaying in 1996."I challenge those behind this allegation to quote a single instance when I threatened or intimidated them and say how I did this," said Mfundo.The matter will be heard in court on July 22.sub_head_start 'Feared' brothers run transport empire sub_head_endThe Gcaba brothers are not just Zuma's relatives - they also have a public transport empire that is unrivalled in the lucrative long-distance South African minibus taxi industry.They were notorious before Zuma became president. And their detractors say Zuma's presidency has boosted their burgeoning taxi business.They came to public attention around 1988, when they came to own their iconic minibus taxi - a "Zola Budd" with registration number NUZ 4000.Twenty-seven years later, their fleet - distinguished by the "Gcaba Brothers" logo - is estimated to number hundreds of taxis. They saturate the long-distance taxi market and their imprint can be seen on routes throughout the country.The Gcabas have gained a reputation as feared taxi lords who wield enormous influence .The transport empire is led by Mandla Gcaba, a towering, larger-than-life businessman who is a 40% shareholder in Tansnat Africa, the company that operates the troubled Durban municipal bus service.The brothers' father, Simon Gcaba, was shot dead in 1996, shaking the taxi industry to its foundations.Simon was an executive committee member of the Durban and District Taxi Association and his protégé , Bernard "Big Ben" Ntuli - a feared taxi boss and president of the association - was the prime suspect. He went into hiding and later died of cerebral malaria, after police had issued a R250000 reward for his arrest over murders related to taxi violence.Ntuli was the father of DA member of the provincial legislature and youth leader Mbali Ntuli, who inherited the family fleet.In 1997, Mandla's eldest brother, Moses, his partner in a trucking business, was shot dead. The following year, another brother, Frank, died in a car accident.Mandla is no longer directly involved in the taxi industry but still wields great influence; younger brother Mfundo runs the operations.The Gcabas have a good relationship with S'bu Mpisane, the Durban metro cop-turned-millionaire married to socialite Shawn. Mpisane disappeared just before he was to give evidence against the Gcaba brothers in a case involving three people shot dead outside the High Court in Durban more than a decade ago.No one has been able to explain Mpisane's reappearance as a wealthy social player. mthethwab@sundaytimes.co.za, olifantn@sundaytimes.co.za..