Cape Argus

Taxi kills a bystander in a protest

- Rusana Philander

THE stand-off between residents of Siqalo informal settlement and Colorado Park in Mitchells Plain claimed its first casualty when a young man was run over by a taxi.

It is unclear whether the incident was deliberate or the result of people blocking the road due to protests.

On Wednesday night hundreds of people gathered in Highlands Road, Mitchells Plain, as tensions continued to simmer throughout the night.

Several gunshots could be heard and people ran across the road while cars were driving past.

This is when the young man from Bay View near Mitchells Plain was run over when a taxi ploughed into a group of people.

Mogamat Tauriq Mohamed, 21, was buried at the Vygieskraa­l Cemetery in Rylands yesterday. Police said he was a bystander at the protest when the taxi drove into him and a group of other people.

Two more people were slightly injured during the accident on Jakes Gerwel Drive.

Siqalo residents have been protesting for the past two days. They are demanding water and electricit­y.

A relative of Mohamed, who did not want to be named, said: “We ask that the media please respect our grieving process.”

The Muslim Judicial Council also sent condolence­s after the passing of Mohamed.

“He tragically lost his life on Wednesday evening at the community protest.

“May Allah Almighty grant him Jannattul Firdaws Ameen,” they said.

Shaheed Mahomed from the Water Crisis Coalition also said: “It was a very unfortunat­e incident.

“The accident happened while he was a bystander at the protest.”

TWO MORE PEOPLE WERE SLIGHTLY INJURED

 ?? PICTURE: CINDY WAXA/AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY (ANA) ?? MOURNING: Family members at the funeral of Mogamat Tauriq Mohamed, who was run over by a taxi during the service delivery protest in Jakes Gerwel Drive.
PICTURE: CINDY WAXA/AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY (ANA) MOURNING: Family members at the funeral of Mogamat Tauriq Mohamed, who was run over by a taxi during the service delivery protest in Jakes Gerwel Drive.

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