Johannesburg - After a deadly weekend that saw 11 people lose their lives in KwaZulu-Natal, Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has called on the police to leave no stone unturned in finding the gunmen.
"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," Dube-Ncube said.
According to police reports, the latest incident happened in Ndwedwe Mission, north of Durban on Saturday at 1.30pm. Gunmen opened fire on a group of men who were sitting on the veranda of a tuck shop.
The four men were reportedly declared dead at the scene. Three others were taken to hospital for medical attention. One of them later died in the hospital.
On the day, six people were shot dead and one was left injured at an informal settlement in Clermont, when unknown gunmen started shooting randomly.
Dube-Ncube said that as the festive season approached, police had been tasked with identifying all crime hot spots in the province and deploying additional officers in order to beef up visibility. That formed part of the government's Festive Season Integrated Safety Plan.
"We will not allow a situation whereby citizens live in fear," Dube-Ncube said.
Dube-Ncube called on members of the community to come forward with information that could assist the police in the investigation.
"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.
"We will never win the war against crime if community members continue to protect criminals," Dube-Ncube said.
The Provincial Organised Crime Unit is investigating the murders and attempted murders.
The Star