A tragic shooting in Inanda has left four dead and raised urgent concerns over the safety of community patrollers and the disparity in police visibility across eThekwini.
Image: Malvern CPF/Facebook
A tragic shooting incident in Bhambayi, Inanda, which left four people dead, has ignited a heated debate over the safety of community patrollers and the perceived disparity in police visibility across the eThekwini district.
The incident occurred just before midnight on Friday. According to the police, a group of community patrollers was on duty along Nohohwana Skeke Street when they confronted three men suspected of committing robberies in the area.
An altercation ensued, leading to an exchange of gunfire. Two individuals—a community patroller and one of the suspects—died at the scene. Two additional patrollers later succumbed to their wounds in the hospital.
In the wake of the tragedy, Aidan David, Chairperson of the eThekwini District Policing Board, has called on the Department of Community Safety and Liaison and KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli to prioritise the empowerment of volunteer structures.
David emphasised the need for professional safety training and the provision of bulletproof vests for community patrollers, noting that criminals "have no value for life any longer."
"This tragedy has really sparked serious concerns as to how we as the CPF are managing and investing in our volunteers as executive leadership," David said. He further urged the business community to invest in local security initiatives to keep volunteers safe.
David also addressed the friction between volunteer efforts and official police directives. While Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has consistently urged communities to act only as "eyes and ears," David suggested that slow SAPS response times often force the hands of volunteers.
"The community patrollers become impatient... endangering their lives by trying to stop the perpetrators of crimes from fleeing," David remarked, adding that if SAPS response times were "speedily actioned," such desperate measures might be avoided.
The Chairperson did not mince words regarding the distribution of security resources in the region, drawing a sharp contrast between affluent suburbs and townships.
"If we drive through the streets of Umhlanga or Durban North, we will find hundreds of security companies patrolling where crime is at its minimum," David stated. "But if you drive through the areas of Umlazi, Inanda, and Wentworth, police visibility and security companies' visibility are virtually non-existent."
David questioned whether the current system implies that those living in poorer areas "must be targeted to die by the hands of criminals first."
Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi has reiterated his stance that community crime-fighting groups must operate within the law and avoid direct confrontation.
"We have seen criminals shooting at police officers, meaning that they will never think twice before shooting at a civilian," Mkhwanazi warned. He called on all community leaders to align their structures with the CPF Constitution and participate in crime-fighting in a "controlled and legal manner."
Police are currently investigating four counts of murder following the Bhambayi shooting.