1 shot dead, 3 injured in violent crimes over the weekend

A series of serious and violent crime incidents took place in Durban and surrounding areas on Friday and Saturday.

On Saturday night a community patroller was brutally gunned down and died in a hail of bullets as he was leaving his home for patrol duties.

The 58-year-old man came under attack while driving out of his property in Zwelisha, near Phoenix.

Reaction Unit South Africa’s Prem Balram said residents of Insingizi Road contacted them at 10.34pm for assistance shortly after the shooting.

“Our officers were immediately dispatched and found the man covered with a blanket in his yard. The man had been shot several times. According to his family, the man had been driving out of the yard to conduct patrols when his white Toyota Corolla was fired upon multiple times.

“He managed to get out of his car but collapsed in the yard. About 10, 9mm spent cartridges were recovered,” said Mr Balram.

Police who were on the scene shortly thereafter said the motive for the shooting was not established but investigations would continue.

Also on Saturday evening, a taxi boss and his passenger were shot and injured in a drive-by shooting near a service station at the Old Inanda Road and Jabu Ngcobo Road intersection in Southridge, Phoenix.

Mr Balram said they had been called out to the service station at about 7.27pm after a white bullet-riddled VW Polo drove into the premises.

“On arrival, our officers were informed that the driver and passenger were shot further down the road and had attempted to escape the shooting. They were taken to hospital in a mini-bus taxi prior to the arrival of our members. Several spent rifle cartridges were recovered at the intersection,” said Mr Balram.

On Friday morning, a 44-year-old man had been shot twice with his own firearm during a home invasion in Redcliffe Drive, Verulam.

Mr Balram said two suspects – one of whom was armed with a replica gun - had allegedly entered the home and confronted the victim.

“The two suspects entered the home and confronted the victim, forcing him at gunpoint to open the safe. They removed his 9mm Norinco pistol, two loaded magazines, and half a box of ammunition. They also took a laptop and cash, before shooting the victim on his left hand and left leg with his firearm. They, however, dropped and left their firearm at the scene in their haste to get away. That firearm, however, was a replica and not a real gun,” said Mr Balram.

He said reaction officers got to the scene after they were called out to assist to find the victim bleeding profusely from his injuries.

“He was stabilised and taken to hospital by our members,” said Mr Balram .