WATCH | Men carrying handguns and petrol bombs set Ubers on fire

Gunshots and petrol bombs set the late afternoon commuting scene in Sandton on Thursday‚ as a group of men - reported to be meter taxi drivers and armed with handguns and petrol bombs - descended on two unsuspecting Uber drivers waiting for fares.

Two Uber cars were petrol-bombed near the Gautrain Station in what appears to be part of the ongoing dispute between Uber and meter taxi drivers.

TimesLIVE reporter Graeme Hosken was on scene minutes after the Uber cars were set ablaze and reported that multiple gunshots were fired as some commuters went about their business as usual.

Videos he shot show the cars engulfed by roaring flames as what sounds like gunshots ring out in the background.

One Uber driver affected was too shocked to speak‚ however another driver relayed the sequence of events.

“They didn’t say anything. They just pulled him out of the car. They were carrying guns‚ and then they burned the car. He ran for his safety.”

The other Uber driver said around 15 armed men swarmed the cars.

“They just opened the door…put the petrol bomb and burned it up same time. The second car same thing‚” he said.

An eyewitness‚ who did not wish to be named‚ said the Uber drivers managed to escape the burning cars.

“They ran away. They also tried to open the door for the other driver. It was meter taxi guys‚” the witness said.

Fire fighters arrived within minutes to extinguish the blaze while medics on scene indicated no one had sustained serious injuries but the two Uber drivers would be taken to hospital and be treated for shock.

Police spokespeople were not immediately aware of the incident but indicated they would establish the facts and then alert the public.

The ongoing war between Uber drivers and meter taxi drivers has shown no sign of abating‚ with regular attacks on Uber cars at popular pick-up spots around Johannesburg and Pretoria.

At the centre of the dispute is Uber’s lower prices‚ which has made a significant dent in the meter taxi business.⁠⁠⁠⁠

- TimesLIVE