Fear grips Wentworth after deadly suspected gang and drug violence

The ongoing alleged gang and drug-related shootings in Wentworth, Durban, and surrounding communities have instilled fear among residents, who worry about becoming the next victim.

They are urgently calling for the police to implement a long-term strategy to address the crisis in the area.

This comes after two people were killed while seven others were injured during a shooting incident on Major Calvert Street on Friday morning.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said two men in a grey Mazda 3 opened fire on a group seated outside a flat. As the victims scattered, the assailants pursued them, continuing to shoot.

Netshiunda said the victims were aged 15 to 22, and the motive is unclear, but gang and drug-related turf wars are being investigated.

Police have launched a manhunt for at least two suspects.

Pastor Deon Varcoe said they were conducting a funeral service for a woman who lives in the same area, not far from where the shooting occurred, when someone ran into the church shouting: “You’re sitting in church and your children are lying dead in the flats.”

He alleged: “The shooters came dressed in DSW overalls, like the guys that come and collect the dirt, and got into the area, then opened fire on these people.” 

Varcoe was unable to visit the families because police had cordoned off the area, and most had gone to the hospital. “I'll try again, but Wentworth is currently volatile.”

Varcoe recalled that three weeks ago, a young man from the other side of Wentworth was buried after he was shot dead while heading to court.

He said earlier this week, two people survived a shooting, and the entire week, they could hear automatic gunfire late at night. “It's always revenge; one hit leads to another.”

Varcoe said the local police station is “useless” apart from the metro police and some private security companies that will always help.

“I try my best to help these youngsters, but a lot of them tell me they are too far gone,” said Varcoe.

He stated that this issue is personal to him, as his daughter survived a bullet to the chest four years ago while walking on the pavement in the area.

Andre de Bruin, who is a community activist in Wentworth and a former member of the CPF, said he went to the scene after the shooting.

De Bruin said at the moment, there is a lot of speculation.

“There is no confirmation of who did the shooting and what the shooting was related to, but it's an open secret that it is drug-related.”

He said in the last month, there was a shooting in the vicinity every week.

“There must have been four or five shootings, and this is the biggest number of people being shot,” he said.

De Bruin stated that the entire Woodstock area — a 500 square metre zone with multiple blocks of flats — is traumatised and living on edge due to the shootings, affecting not only the direct families but the whole community.

“Hime Street has become a no-go zone. It’s just horrific for everybody, and Umbilo Secondary is not even 300 metres away from where the shooting took place. The school is under tremendous trauma in the midst of exams,” said De Bruin.

He expressed sadness that the provincial police have failed to act, given the frequent, ongoing nature of these shootings.

“The time has come for KZN Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to release the anti-gang unit not for two or three days, but for six months to rid the whole of Wentworth of gangs and drugs,” he said.

Ward 68 councillor Aubrey Snyman said what is needed is a sustainable effort by police in the area, and not only at the time of the shootings.

Snyman noted that police reinforcements are being deployed to the area. However, these units typically withdraw after a few days, only to return sporadically.

“They need to ensure that these reinforcements remain in place for a sufficient period so that issues like this can be managed and we can avoid the high number of fatalities we are currently experiencing.”

He added that the local police station is not able to deal with this issue.

“If they were effective, we would have police visibility throughout, enabling us to arrest the perpetrators,” said Snyman.

These shootings happen with such unpredictable frequency that the timing is entirely random, he stated, adding that each time one occurs, it triggers the traumatic situations the community is currently dealing with.

He said that while something needs to be done to curtail these shooting incidents, he understands how difficult it may be for police to investigate because members of the community are afraid to come forward with information.

“It's very difficult on the police side to actually get to the bottom of this, but we all know that it's drug-related,” he said.

Snyman said these ongoing shootings are not only affecting those involved with drugs and gangs, but also innocent bystanders are affected and traumatised.

The councillor appealed for more law enforcement officers to be sent to patrol the area, not only in their cars but also on foot.

He also offered his condolences to the families of the deceased and wished those who were injured a speedy recovery.

karen.singh@inl.co.za