A toy gun was used in a six-hour hostage drama in Lenasia on Wednesday, police said.
”The gun that was used looked very real,” said police spokesperson Captain Julia Klaassen.
”Negotiators did their job well. We are just thankful and relieved that the situation — which was critical at times — is now over.”
The hostages’ ordeal occurred when a 20-year-old Durban man held up the family of four with a toy gun at their home in Pikespeak Road.
After releasing the hostages, the man surrendered to police officers.
Donovan Naidoo was demanding to speak to his ex-girlfriend, Viola Archary, a sister of one of the victims.
Archary was on her way to work when Naidoo entered the house at 6.30am.
He held hostages Gerald Bathman (27), his wife Denise Bathman (23), Praise Archary (16) and one-year-old Jodash until 12.30pm when he released them — two at a time.
The normally quiet street was filled with dozens of residents as they looked on behind yellow tape, trying to get a glimpse of the victims.
Naidoo let Denise and Jodash out first, then Gerald and Praise a few minutes later before he surrendered.
Naidoo, in a red shirt, emerged handcuffed from the house and was then put into the back of a police van.
The hostages were reunited with their family after their ordeal came to an end, and were taken to a neighbour’s house where family and friends had gathered.
”Even though it might have been a toy gun, we cannot take chances. We have to follow procedure,” Klaassen said.
Father of two of the hostages Sweetie Archary said his daughters had told him that they were not harmed during the ordeal.
”My family are shaken up but they will overcome this as they are strong-willed people,” he said.
Archary told the South African Press Association that Viola, who was outside the house throughout the drama, was in a very bad state.
”Viola broke up with Donovan two months ago. Donovan could not take it and had warned Viola that he was coming to get her,” Archary said.
He said that while the hostage drama was taking place Naidoo had SMSed Viola, telling her that if she did not speak to him then he would kill the baby and Denise.
Klaassen said that the family were now receiving trauma counselling and that Naidoo would be charged with abduction. — Sapa