Durban — The Newlands East community, north of Durban, are concerned about their safety after a mother and her son were fatally shot in a drive-by shooting on Wednesday night.
KZN police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said the Newlands SAPS were investigating cases of murder and attempted murder.
“Four people were seated in a vehicle at their place of residence on Katonkel Road when they were shot at by three unknown men. Three of them were wounded and rushed to hospital.
“Patricia Simelane, 55, and her son Spha Simelane, 22, later died of gunshot wounds. Kehla Simelane is believed to be in a critical condition in hospital while his girlfriend (name unknown), was wounded in her hand,” Ngcobo said.
The Simelane family declined to comment on what transpired.
A source close to the family, who spoke on condition of anonymity ,said the family had completed a ceremony for Menzi Simelane, who was shot dead outside the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court recently.
“They were returning from the shop, followed closely by a car. When the Simelanes stopped outside the house to turn into an uncompleted double garage they were shot. The vehicle was riddled with bullets,” said the source.
Neighbours said they had taken cover during the shooting.
When the Daily News visited the family on Thursday, the bullet-riddled vehicle was partly covered by a blue cloth and police had placed stickers on the exposed parts where the bullet holes were. The family did not want the vehicle photographed because they wanted to conduct a cleansing ceremony.
Kehla Simelane, who had recently relocated because of his work, and his girlfriend had arrived from Mpumalanga to attend the ceremony for Menzi Simelane.
Chairperson of the sector 2 Newlands Community Police Forum (CPF), Allan Peterson, said there were turf wars in the area that resulted from “misunderstandings” between youths who had “no proper channel of communication”.
He said the Newlands community were living in fear and were scared to send children to the shop. Peterson said volleys of random gunfire were often heard in the area. The CPF, he said, received complaints of bullets hitting residents’ windows and walls.
“We always say it is drug-related but sometimes it is not necessarily so. Police and the community have been pushed into a helpless situation. There is no guarantee that if you step outside on the pavement to go to the shop or walk around, you would come back home alive.
“We ask ourselves, what is the reason? Why must a turf war disrupt the entire community? Are they trying to intimidate the community and those who voice their concerns?”
He added that members of the community of Newlands East had grown up amid gang wars but in recent years these had escalated to the point where “we see the youth have no fear”.
Peterson said a youth crime awareness day has been scheduled for October to address the issue and for the launch of a “youth desk”.
“We want the youth to apply themselves in another manner and change their behaviour. They are the future but they have been misdirected from school by drugs wars, turf wars and other vices. Right now they do not fear anything and do not comprehend the consequences of their actions. We urge parents to work with us to make this community a better place,” he said.
Daily News