KwaZulu-Natal premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has called on the police to leave no stone unturned in their search for the gunmen behind the mass shootings that claimed the lives of 11 people at the weekend.
“We unreservedly condemn in the strongest possible terms the brutal murder of 11 people in Ndwedwe and Clermont at the weekend and call on the police to scour every nook and cranny of the province and to strain every nerve in their bodies to find the perpetrators of this horrendous act so that they can be brought to book,” said Dube-Ncube.
Dube-Ncube sent her condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
According to police reports, one incident took place on Saturday in Ndwendwe Mission, in the north of Durban, when unknown assailants opened fire on a group of men who were sitting on the veranda of a tuck shop.
The gunmen are said to have fled the scene immediately after the shooting, leaving four people dead. The other three victims were rushed to the hospital where one of them succumbed to injuries.
In a separate shooting incident, also in KwaZulu-Natal, six people were gunned down and one person was injured when unknown gunmen opened fire randomly at an informal settlement in Clermont on Friday.
The gunmen are still on the run and motive for the attack is not known.
Dube-Ncube added that as the festive season is approaching, police have been tasked with identifying all the crime hotspots in the province as part of a comprehensive festive season integrated safety plan.
“We will not allow a situation whereby the citizens live in fear,” she said.
The premier also called on community members to come forward with information that can assist the police with the investigations.
“Issues pertaining to safety and security require an integrated approach from all sectors of society. Government, business, and civil society, including community policing forums, need to work together to address criminal activities and instability in order to ensure a safe society and thriving economy,” said Dube-Ncube.
The provincial organised crime unit is investigating the cases of murder and attempted murder.
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