A simmering taxi feud over the lucrative Durban and South Coast route took a new twist yesterday when disgruntled taxi operators protested at the N2 off-ramp near Park Rynie, on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast. A large police contingent was present.Several taxi operators from the South Coast parked their taxis in protest against an apparent takeover of routes by Durban's Sonke Long Distance Association. The taxi operators are from Port Shepstone, Highflats, Umzinto, Ixopo and Umzimkhulu.They said their protest was not to block the busy N2 freeway but to make a "statement" to KwaZulu-Natal transport and community safety MEC Willies Mchunu about their plight. The operators said if the MEC did not respond, they would be forced to speak to the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Julius Malema."He [Mchunu] is dragging his feet. He has known about this problem for a long time. Maybe we should call Malema to sort this out because the government can't," said another.The taxi operators have accused a nephew of President Jacob Zuma, Mfundo Gcaba, of leading a hostile takeover of their routes using the Sonke association. Gcaba, who with his brothers runs a taxi empire, has denied the allegation.Mchunu's spokesman, Kwanele Ncalane, said the provincial department of transport and community safety was aware of the allegations of route encroachment and was addressing the issue."We have sent a team, which has engaged [the competing] taxi associations," he said.A taxi belonging to the Gcaba brothers, with a full load of passengers and en route to Port Shepstone, was stopped temporarily by traffic police at the scene of the protest yesterday.It was later allowed to proceed in the company of a police escort.It was the second protest in four days, following the blockade of the main road in the small town of Jolivet near Umzinto on Thursday by members of the Highflats Taxi Association against the takeover of their route.The Durban High Court recently ruled in favour of the Zamokuhle Long Distance Taxi Association in Port Shepstone.Zamokuhle had lodged an urgent interdict against Sonke to prevent its drivers operating on their route between Durban and Port Shepstone, and denying them access to the Brook Street taxi rank.Sonke is opposing the application and the matter is back in court tomorrow.In a letter to Mchunu on Sunday, Zamokuhle warned of "possible taxi violence that may erupt at any stage" between itself and Sonke.KwaZulu-Natal taxi bosses resolved last week to meet eThekwini city authorities to avoid a feud over routes...