A salute in honour of their fallen comrade turned deadly for three members of the feared “West Gang” in Durban’s Inanda.
According to police, the trio had tried to pull the stunt at the funeral of their leader, Mnqobi Nzimande. The salute involves random shots fired into the air.
It is claimed the gang leader wielded fear and anguish in Inanda and surrounding communities. However, police had warned them against it and, in fact, chased them off.
They failed to heed the warning
Instead of heeding the call to vacate the area, the gang members allegedly went to another location, Bhambayi. Undeterred, they continued with the ritual. It is alleged that when police swooped and ordered them to surrender, they would have none of that. Instead they allegedly fired several shots at the police and it would take a return of fire to stop them in their tracks.
“We can confirm that three men were killed during the exchange of gunfire with police in Inanda. For now those are the only details we can share,” KZN police spokesman Colonel Robert Netshiunda said on Saturday.
The ritual is a gang 21-gun salute
It’s a common practice for thugs to arrive at a funeral of their ‘soldier,’ flaunt expensive jewellery and alcohol, and sprinkle it on top of the coffin as it is slowly taken down. It is believed that the antics are meant to celebrate the life of the departed. And also to show rival gangs that despite losing one, the group remained strong and resolute. Nzimande, at the youthful age of 22, had commanded fear and respect among his alleged partners in crime.
According to the police, Nzimande was cornered and shot dead by the police national intervention unit (NIU) last week. He allegedly was linked to 20 cases of murder, attempted murder, intimidation, robbery, and arson.
He was killed together with an accomplice after allegedly fetching drugs at the nearby Umhlanga. Police, after an intelligence operation, intercepted the duo, “who fired first, and police retaliated, killing them instantly”.
‘A hero to us’
Back at the funeral, Nzimande was hailed as a hero who had stopped thugs from terrorising his community. “We are hearing bad stories about him, but to us he was a hero. He kept this community safe,” said one mourner.
KZN police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has declared war on criminals. He accused them of standing between the community and their peace. More than 100 suspects have been killed in gun battles with police in 2024 alone.
