Commuters in the Nelson Mandela Bay area have been left stranded this morning (15 March) when taxi and bus services ground to a halt after minibus taxi drivers mounted a protest against the arrest last week of Taxi Forum boss Melekile Hani.

Heavily armed police patrolled the Port Elizabeth area to maintain order and a police helicopter kept watch from the air.

There was also a heavy police presence outside the court buildings, where Hani is due to appear today, in case protestors try to disrupt court proceedings.

There have been no reports of violence