KwaZulu-Natal police are investigating four counts of murder after three Neighborhood Watch patrollers and an alleged suspect were shot and killed in the Bhambayi area, Inanda.
The incident began following reports of house break-ins. Community crime-fighting members encountered a suspect on Howesked Street in Oslo Beach. A violent altercation broke out, resulting in the deaths of three patrollers and the suspect they were pursuing.
Witnesses said that armed individuals had been terrorizing the area, stealing cellphones and laptops from homes. The same group had issued threats against the neighborhood watch, declaring that they would destroy the patrol structure and kill everyone involved.
The shooting occurred when three patrollers came around a corner and were immediately fired upon. One community member was injured during the shooting. A fellow patroller died at the scene. Other members were also injured. Survivors fled, then returned to call an ambulance. They rushed the injured to the hospital, but one person died on the way. A second victim later died at the hospital. A family received confirmation of the death the following morning.
A grieving resident said that when officials first arrived to deliver the news, it felt like a joke. The resident added that looking into the faces of the messengers, it became clear they were speaking the truth.
The three deceased patrollers bring the total number of community patrollers killed in the area to 34 over four years. A resident warned that unless something changes, officials will keep arriving only after people have already died.
Community Police Forum representatives stated that they have received no support from the government, making it very difficult to work together effectively.
Residents described dire social conditions in Bhambayi. Criminals are jumping over fences, kicking doors open, and entering homes. They take everything. Sexual assaults have been committed against both children and adults, with an estimated six to seven cases or more.
Residents said the patrollers who have been killed were the same people keeping order in the community. With their deaths, community members feel they themselves have become targets, and they fear more will die because the criminals want to end the patrols.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi confirmed the investigation is ongoing in Inanda. Community members have called for more resources to be provided for community safety structures, including visibility equipment for nighttime patrols, and for the government to engage meaningfully with local crime-fighting volunteers.