Durban North CPF addresses recent targeted murders and community safety
The Durban North Community Police Forum (CPF) says targeted murders are almost impossible to predict or prevent.
This comes after a man was shot dead in La Lucia, Durban, almost a month after another man was shot dead in uMhlanga, Durban.
On Wednesday, a man was killed in a hail of bullets on Shelbourne Avenue in La Lucia around 7.30pm.
ALS Paramedics Medical Services spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said that at the scene paramedics were shown where the bakkie was found in the roadway. The bakkie had multiple gunshot holes in the door and the front of the vehicle.
“Paramedics found the driver, a male believed to be in his thirties, had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his body. Unfortunately, there was nothing paramedics could do for him and he was declared deceased on the scene,” Jamieson said.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said police responded to reports of a murder and upon arrival at the scene, they found the victim, 53, inside his vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds. He said the suspects and the motive of the killing are unknown at this stage.
Meanwhile, on December 29, Shailen Singh, 32, was shot multiple times while seated in his vehicle in a parking area on Meridian Drive in uMhlanga.
The Govender brothers, Ferrel, 40, and Darren, 35, have been charged with his murder and are awaiting a decision on their bail application. The matter will return to the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Durban North CPF public relations officer Darryl Oliver said: “The Durban North area has experienced two violent murders in the past month, but we would like to note that both murders have the markings of premeditated, targeted attacks and were not as result of crimes gone wrong/escalating such as robbery or hijacking.
“With that in mind, targeted murders are almost impossible to predict or prevent, and as such pro-actively police without prior knowledge or forewarning.”
Without diminishing from the severity of the two crimes, Oliver said the CPF would like to allay fears and concerns of residents about an increase in violent crime, as this is simply not the case.
“Crime stats for the last quarter indicate an overall decrease in contact crime and other crimes such as household and business robbery and common robbery, with our only growing concern being fraud, with Durban North averaging about 20 cases a week. We will be putting out regular communiques in order to educate our residents and try combat fraud,” Oliver explained.
Recently, the CPF encouraged the community to be the eyes and ears by joining crime alert groups.
“Our WhatsApp groups are slowly growing, but we still need more of the community to get involved,” Oliver said.
“Good neighbours make the world a better place, one street at a time, and we can achieve this by residents being the eyes and ears of the CPF and SAPS by being that little bit extra vigilant and attentive as they go about their daily lives, reporting anything suspicious to the CPF Crime groups, security company or the SAPS.”
Oliver said that for more information residents can visit www.dncpf.co.za
thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za