Johannesburg – There has been an increase in the proliferation of hitmen because of the tough economic climate, say crime experts.
They attribute desperation and joblessness as some of the key factors fuelling a reservoir of hitmen or izinkabi in the province, who can be rented for as little as R500 to commit murder.
Izinkabi, taken from an Isi- Zulu word meaning an ox, are known to be the untouchables who carry out hits on their targets with precision and often evade justice.
Inkabi also refers to someone who possesses great physical strength.
“In Umlazi township for instance, there are places where one can rent a gun to kill and return it back once done,” said Rick Crouch, a private investigator with extensive experience in hunting down hired assassins.
KwaZulu-Natal is known as the capital and breeding ground for trained assassins who are used in different provinces to commit hits.
Crouch said hostels provided a reservoir for hitmen who, after committing the murders, would often disappear into rural obscurity.
“We have also seen a rise in cases where wives or husbands hire hitmen to kill their spouses for insurance money and other reasons.” Another crime expert said it was increasingly worrying that law enforcement agencies had failed to deal with the supply of hitmen.
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