Violence broke out after a metered taxi driver allegedly prevented an Uber driver from picking up a passenger in Cape Town on Thursday afternoon.

“The incident escalated quite badly. More metered taxi drivers arrived on scene and blocked the road, and police used stun grenades to disperse the crowd,” safety and security mayoral committee member JP Smith said.

About 15 people were arrested during the confrontation, at the intersection of Wale and Long streets, for allegedly contravening the Regulations of Gatherings Act.

Cars blocking the roads were towed away.

Earlier this week, an Uber driver was assaulted and his car set alight in Manenberg, Smith said.

Uber spokeswoman Samantha Allenberg said they were urgently trying to resolve the conflict. They intended to ensure riders and drivers were safe.

News24