DURBAN – Police in KwaZulu-Natal are investigating four counts of murder following a shooting incident at Bhambayi in Inanda just before midnight on Friday 1 May.

Information available at this stage suggests that a group of community patrollers was patrolling along Nohohwana Skeke Street when they came across three men whom they suspected of committing robberies in the area, said Colonel Robert Netshiunda, police spokesperson.

An altercation reportedly ensued resulting in an exchange of gunfire between the community patrollers and the alleged suspects.

Two people – a community patroller and an alleged suspect – died at the scene. Two more community patrollers succumbed to their gunshot wounds in hospital.

The provincial commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has reiterated that organised community crime-fighting groups must work with police and avoid direct confrontation with suspected criminals.

“We encourage active community participation in the fight against crime; it is the only way that we can win this fight. However, community structures like the Community Police Forum (CPF) and other supplementary structures must be the eyes and ears of the police and never take actions that may endanger their lives.

“We have seen criminals shooting at police officers, meaning that they will never think twice before shooting at a civilian.

“We are calling upon leaders of all community crime-fighting structures to align themselves with the provisions of the Constitution of the CPF and participate in crime-fighting initiatives in a controlled and legal manner”, said Mkhwanazi.

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