Port Elizabeth taxi passenger shoots robbers

A fast-acting taxi passenger shot and killed an alleged robber and wounded another during an armed robbery in a Port Elizabeth taxi.

Siyabonga Sibhembe, 32, who has pending drug and firearm-related cases, was killed and his 28-year-old accomplice wounded in New Brighton in Thursday evening.

Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge said the taxi was in Mavuso Road at about 8pm when two people attempted to rob the driver and his passengers.

“One of the suspects entered the taxi and demanded money from the driver and passengers at gunpoint.

A 42-year-old gun-owner passenger then drew his firearm and shot and killed the suspect. When the suspect fell out of the taxi with his firearm in hand, the second man picked up the firearm. The gun owner then fired more shots at the second suspect and wounded him in the leg,” he said.

Beetge said Motherwell cluster operational command centre officials heard the shots and arrived minutes later.

“The wounded suspect was arrested while trying to flee. The firearm was found in his possession,” Beetge said.

He was taken to Livingstone Hospital where he is under police guard.

In an unrelated incident, Motherwell highway patrol officials arrested a 35-year-old man for allegedly being in possession of a stolen firearm.

Beetge said the arrest came after a Mazda 323 was pulled over in Mati Road, New Brighton, at 11.30pm.

“On searching the driver, an unlicensed firearm with nine rounds of ammunition was found in his possession,” he said.

In both incidents the firearms serial numbers had been removed.

Motherwell cluster commander Major General Dawie Rabie welcomed the arrests and said this was part of the police’s role to make the streets safer.

“Both weapons have been sent for ballistic and forensic analysis,” he said.

Rabie said if the firearm forensics reports establish that they had been used in other crimes, additional charges would be added.

Both suspects will appear in the New Brighton Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.