Former member of Glebelands peace committee gunned down

The death toll at - or linked to - Durban's volatile Glebelands Hostel now stands just seven shy of the 100 mark. And this in less than three years.

Ninety-three people have now been killed in violence linked to the hostel in Umlazi‚ south Durban‚ after a 38-year-old man was reportedly gunned down on Tuesday night.

Community activist Vanessa Burger - who recently testified before the Moerane Commission probing political violence in KwaZulu-Natal - confirmed the incident.

In an email to Moerane Commission evidence leader Adv Bheki Manyathi and the parliamentary police portfolio committee‚ Burger wrote: "Another member of the former Glebelands peace committee was gunned down late last night [Tuesday]. He was reportedly the former secretary of Block 50. Ninety-three people have now lost their lives to Glebelands hitmen."

SAPS spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane said: "A case of murder was opened at Umlazi police station after a 38-year-old man was shot and killed. It is alleged that the man was at Glebelands hostel yesterday [Tuesday] at 9pm when he was allegedly shot and killed by unknown suspects. The motive for the shooting is unknown at this stage and the police are still investigating."

Zwane appealed for residents to work with police to deal with the scourge of violence at the hostel.

"Our police officers are working day and night doing patrols in the area and there is a satellite police station that can be used by the residents‚" he said.