Durban — The Mariannhill community policing forum (CPF) has blamed the spiralling crime rate on the lack of crime-fighting resources in the area.
Mariannhill CPF spokesperson Neville Skeef was reacting to the killing of four motor mechanics and their customer, who were shot dead on Monday night.
It is alleged that gunmen walked into two premises and opened fire, killing the five people.
Nguboyezizwe “Ngubo” Julius Ncube, 49, a father of five, was repairing a vehicle in his workshop with his assistant and a customer when they were shot.
Ncube and the customer died at the scene while the assistant mechanic was taken to hospital. Police have not released names because the next of kin had not been traced at the time of going to print.
Ncube’s sisters, Mbali Princess Cele and Zanele Ncube, said when they arrived at the scene they found him in a pool of blood.
“Another person was under the car in a pool of blood. Residents saw a maroon car driving past my brother’s house, and stopped up the road.
“About three men alighted, went into my brother’s workshop and opened fire. We do not know why my brother was killed in such a cruel manner.
“Our brother was a very quiet man, he never fought with anyone. We did not even know he had enemies,” Cele said.
At a second murder scene, a pool of blood was still visible in the workshop, and in the yard of Dumani Shezi, 48, who was shot and killed with his two co-workers.
Shezi’s family tried to transport him to hospital before he died.
Shezi was also a minibus taxi owner. His family, who declined to be named, suspected the murders could be minibus-taxi related. His family at the scene said his wife and kids had left the area to go to a place of safety.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said police were on a hunt for three men. He said the motive of the killings was yet to be established.
Nothing was reported stolen.
“Information at our disposal at this stage indicates that the suspects stormed into a vehicle workshop and shot the owner and two other people.
“The same suspects reportedly proceeded to another vehicle workshop two streets away, shot and killed the owner and two other people working with him.”
The Daily News established that residents were living in fear because of alleged robberies, blaming crime on the rise in drug abuse, lack of police visibility and the shortage of resources.
Skeef also blamed the rampant crime and killings on poverty within the community, saying people were unemployed, had no food and therefore resorted to crime to survive.
“We’ve had meetings with police authorities in which it was agreed that the police station is going to be upgraded to deal with crime in the area. Birchwood Park is now regarded as a crime hot spot, and is being prioritised as a place that requires more police patrols,” Skeef said.
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