JOHANNESBURG (Sapa) - A policeman who allegedly fired two shots at a car on the N3 caused the driver to lose control and crash into an oncoming vehicle, the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court heard on Tuesday.

Yshrene Govender told the court the policeman put the driver, her husband Anuvashen Moodley, "under a lot of pressure", before he shot at them.

Govender said she was sitting behind Moodley, who was driving in the right, fast lane as there was no gap between vehicles in the left lane.

They were travelling from Pietermaritzburg to Durban when the police car wanted to overtake them near Ashburton.

"The blue light car drew next to us, a man leant out of the passenger window, pointing a gun. I ducked and told my husband the man had a gun. I heard shots. Our car spun, crossed the median and hit an oncoming car," Govender said.

Six people were hurt in the collision, two so seriously they were hospitalised.

Her husband said the first shot was fired from the police car, which was half a vehicle length behind his vehicle. The second shot was fired when the cars were abreast.

He panicked and lost control, causing his car to spin across the median.

The couple was testifying in the trial of VIP escorts Hlanganani Nxumalo, 28, and Caiphus Ndlela, 36.

Both have pleaded not guilty to six counts of attempted murder, shooting in the direction of Moodley's car, unlawfully discharging a firearm, and reckless or negligent driving.

Ndlela was driving a state VW Golf, blue lights flashing, en route to pick up KwaZulu-Natal social development MEC Meshack Radebe in November 2008.

Prosecutor Johan Senekal said it was not alleged that a bullet struck Moodley's car or tyre, nor could the State prove that a bullet head found was fired from Nxumalo's gun.

Advocate Griffiths Madonsela, for Nxumalo, put it to Moodley that when the cars were alongside one another, Moodley swerved to the right to push the police car off the road.

Madonsela said Nxumalo, a trained shootist, would testify that Moodley was trying to push him off the road.

"That is the reason why he fired two shots into the air. Nxumalo will say that they were doing their duty and it crossed his mind that you were trying to disturb them," Madonsela said.

Moodley denied both of Madonsela's allegations.

Magistrate Chris van Vuuren postponed the case to Wednesday.

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