Town turns to criminal war zone

and ZWANGA MUKHUTHU

FEAR is spiking in the normally quiet rural town of Lusikisiki following a spate of robberies in the past few days, causing residents and business owners to panic.

Police have described Lusikisiki as a “war zone” after robbers accounted for three lives including that of one business owner, even comparing it to Beirut during the Lebanon civil war.

Police have deployed specialised units to try and curb the robberies and install order in the small town.

Police and community leaders said there have been more than 10 armed business robberies since last month, including a major gun battle in the street between police and 16 robbers armed with AK47 assault rifles.

In the latest outbreak of gunfire, police shot dead six robbers in less than 24 hours in two incidents.

Four were killed outside Lusikisiki while they were travelling to Margate on Wednesday night.

They were wanted in connection with an armed robbery at Boxer Store in Lusikisiki on Monday morning, in which they robbed the store of R59000 before fleeing.

Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said the robbers had shot at police 49 times using an AK47, a R5and 9mm pistols.

Mulaudzi said police had received information on Wednesday about the robbers’ whereabouts.

“An operation was set up by the National Intervention Unit with Lusikisiki SAPS in attendance.

“The NIU intercepted the suspects’ vehicle on the road and when they tried to pull it over, the suspects opened fire on the officers.

“They returned fire and fatally wounded all four suspects,” he said.

He said they recovered three 9mm pistols and R6000 cash at the scene.

The second incident involved two men who earlier the same day had tried to rob a pharmacy.

Lusikisiki police spokesman Captain Mduduzi Godlwana said: “Two men were killed when they tried to shoot at the officers who went to the pharmacy after we received a tip-off that there were two armed and suspicious men.”

He said the men drew firearms when police tried to search them.

“Lusikisiki is currently under attack from criminals, but police are in control ... Lusikisiki is like a war zone, it’s like Beirut,” he said.

Speaking about the Wednesday afternoon shooting, Godlwana said that through information received from the community, four of the men were spotted driving a car on the R61 to Durban.

However, the occupants opened fire on the police. The police retaliated and all four in the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene.

Three firearms and a large quantity of live ammunition were seized.

Godlwana said police were currently investigating inquest and attempted murder dockets.

Independent Police Investigating Directorate (Ipid) national spokesman Robbie Raburabu said: “We are investigating the whole matter of the shootings and killings.”

Godlwana said on Tuesday 16 men armed with AK47 assault rifles robbed Metro Cash and Carry store, which saw a gun battle between the robbers and police, including National Intervention Unit members.

“The robbers escaped with an undisclosed sum of cash,” he added.

In another incident, robbers blasted a safe at a filling station in Lusikisiki and made off with an undisclosed amount of money.

At another filling station a security guard and a shopper were killed during a robbery and the manager died later in hospital.

Godlwana said last month, five would-be armed robbers had been shot dead near Mfinizweni village near Lusikisiki as they were trying to rob a social grant paypoint.

lAnyone with information can contact Lieutenant-Colonel Nceba Mshiywa on 071-475-2292, Lusikisiki cluster commander Brigadier Nompumelelo Majikijela on 079-8966-307 or Captain Godlwana on 079-895-0889.