Glebelands Hostel in Umlazi is the site of about 120 murders. Eight alleged hitmen are facing murder charges and will appear in court next month. (Rogan Ward/M&G)
Two more people have been killed in a fresh wave of shootings in Durban’s Glebelands Hostel, a week ahead of the court appearance of eight men allegedly involved in murders of residents.
According to community activist Vanessa Burger, one of the victims was shot dead on Saturday night while walking home to the hostel’s Block Z from nearby Lamontville township. Burger said the man was shot by two attackers who had followed him and a companion. He was taken to hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Burger said one of the survivors of an attack on the Dludla tavern near Block C on the hostel two weeks ago — in which seven people were injured — had died from his injuries in hospital.
The deaths bring to four the number of people killed at Glebelands since the beginning of August. Nearly 120 lives have been claimed by the killings at the hostel, which is run by the eThekwini municipality, with 11 people being killed since the beginning of the year.
On September 3, eight alleged hitmen, one of them a SAPS detective from the Durban Central SAPS will appear in the Durban High Court on murder charges stemming from murders at Glebelands.
Police officer Bhekukwazi Mdweshu and co-accused Khayelihle Mbuthuma, Vukani Mcobothi, Wonderboy Hlophe, Ncomekile Ntshangase, Mbuyiselwa Mkhize, Mondli Mthethwa and Bongani Mbhele will appear on 22 counts of murder, attempted murder and possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition.
They were arrested earlier this year. Mbhele and Mthethwa have already been jailed for other murders they carried out in the hostel.
Burger said the focus of the new wave of attacks seemed to have shifted towards shootings at or near taverns since the beginning of the year, which may have been a result of ringleaders of the violence attempting to extort money from business owners in the area.
SAPS spokespersons did not respond to queries from Mail & Guardian.