Clare Estate residents fear for their lives after shooting spree
|Published
Residents living in the Palmiet Road informal settlement in Clare Estate say they are living in fear after nine people were shot dead on Saturday. Picture: Doctor Ngcobo African News Agency (ANA).
DURBAN - RESIDENTS of an informal settlement on Palmiet Road in Clare Estate say they are living in fear after gunmen went on a shooting spree on Saturday night and killed nine people, including two children.
The children, Thandolwethu Mathangana, 5, and Yanga Mathangana, 9, and their father Ncedani Mndaweni were shot dead. Their mom was unharmed as she was not in the house when the shootings took place.
Others who were killed are Siphelele Maphisa, Hombakazi Baliso, Clifford Moyo, Nowinte (no surname given), Fikiswa Shomela and a man only identified as Patcha Patcha.
When The Mercury went to the informal settlement yesterday, the residents quickly closed their doors upon seeing journalists. One community member said they feared talking to the media because the perpetrators may come back and kill them.
“The people who did this know us, so please do not mention my name,” begged a community member.
She said she was extremely scared after the shootings. It was apparent that the killers planned the shootings very well as they went directly to the houses of the victims, she said.
“What hurts me the most is how they killed the two children. They did not deserve to die like that. Now I am even more scared because I live with my 5-year-old son, are we also going to experience this?” she asked.
On Saturday night she heard the gunshots, and after a few minutes she heard the sound of corrugated iron being moved. “After that noise I feared for my life, I didn’t even want to go out and see what was happening. I wish to leave this place but I can’t leave or be far away from my job. I am trusting God in all of this,” she said.
Thabani Maphisa, an uncle of victim Siphelele Maphisa, said his nephew had no enemies. “We slept with one eye open last night,” he said.
While Maphisa was talking to The Mercury, he was cleaning the blood in one of the rooms in their home.
ANC provincial spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela said the police must maintain high visibility in the area to prevent any similar attacks and to reassure residents of their safety. “We convey our heartfelt condolences to all the families who have lost their loved ones in this tragic incident.
“The ANC has also directed its leaders in government and our structures on the ground to ensure that support is provided to the grieving families and other affected individuals.”
Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said all the victims had been shot in the head. “In three different houses, 9mm cartridges were found. Community members believe that the suspects were two men.”
THE MERCURY