A shocking incident unfolded in Umhlanga as a Durban woman, identified as Thuso Khumalo, beats a minibus taxi driver after a collision, resulting in a viral video capturing the intense altercation.
The incident occurred on a Tuesday morning at 9 am, shedding light on the daily frustrations experienced by many due to the driving habits of minibus taxi drivers on South African roads.
Khumalo, a project manager for an interior design company, shared her side of the story, expressing her anger at the taxi driver’s reckless behaviour. She claimed that the collision, which occurred without warning, endangered her and her mother’s lives.
“He came out of nowhere, driving so fast that he didn’t even have time to react. I tried to accelerate out of the way because the traffic lights were down, and he hit me on the side where my mother was seated,” Khumalo explained.
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Despite acknowledging the frustrations caused by taxi drivers, Khumalo emphasized the extreme nature of this incident, questioning the urgency of the taxi driver’s actions, especially considering his empty vehicle and the early morning hour.
Post-Accident Social Media Activity
Before the video gained traction on social media, Khumalo took to Twitter to share her immediate reaction to the incident. She tweeted, “Started my day with beating up a taxi driver. I’m high on adrenaline right now.”
Is this you? 😭😭😭pic.twitter.com/WM3zEXFoJQ https://t.co/AayjKK1i7u
— A (@ItsAthee_) December 6, 2023
This was followed by additional tweets recounting encounters with a minibus taxi rank marshal and the support she received from onlookers in an office park.
“The office staff sent me coke and chocolate for me and applauded from the balcony. I could hear people saying ‘mshaye, mshaye’ (hit him, hit him). I think we’re all tired of taxis bullying us,” she stated.
Public Reactions
Public reactions to the video have been diverse, with some commending Khumalo for her actions and others expressing disapproval for resorting to physical confrontation.
“Much respect to him for not fighting back because we all know it’s not like he can’t,” commented Khanyie Langa.
While opinions on social media vary, it is evident that the incident has sparked a broader conversation about the challenges and frustrations faced by commuters dealing with the behaviours of minibus taxi drivers on South African roads.
