One of the killings in a spate of murders of homeless men in East London’s central business district (CBD) could have been caught on camera.
That camera belongs to the ever-watchful, fortressed South African Reserve Bank (SARB) building between Cambridge and Station streets.
Police would not say if they had viewed the bank’s footage.
Another killing could have been caught on cameras at the City Hall – but these were switched off.
The Saturday Dispatch visited all seven murder scenes yesterday to see if there were CCTV cameras nearby.
At five of the murder spots there was some dried blood, but no cameras.
Buffalo City Metro spokesman Keith Ngesi yesterday confirmed that cameras at the City Hall were dysfunctional because of renovations.
He said the CCTV operating room inside the building, and the cameras, had to be disconnected until the renovations were completed.
The August 2 murder of a homeless man in Station Street took place under the eye of the Reserve Bank’s revolving CCTV camera.
The August 5 murder took place in Buxton Street in front of the two city hall CCTV cameras, only metres from the Hawks’ offices.
The Saturday Dispatch understands crime intelligence officers visited the city hall following the August 5 murder to view CCTV footage, but were told the cameras were off due to “routine maintenance”.
Provincial police spokesman Lieutenant Khaya Tonjeni was not willing to comment on the matter saying “viewing of footage is a detective competence and cannot be discussed in the media”.
Tonjeni said the murders had sparked a police alert in the CBD, which had resulted in the establishment of “a task team that comprises members of the Hawks, crime intelligence and local detectives to investigate the murders”.
Police night patrols in the CBD had also been upped.
“We have also approached the department of social development to see if they can assist in providing temporary night shelter for homeless people,” he said.
“We would also like to encourage members of the public to come forward with information that can assist the task team in its efforts and investigation.
“All information received will be taken seriously and verified for validity as part of the investigation,” he said.
The murder of homeless people in the CBD this year rose to seven this week, following the discovery of the body of a homeless man, known only as Ludwe, on Thursday.
Deaths of homeless men in the CBD this year include:
lA homeless man was found beaten to death in the CBD on August 5. Another victim survived, but sustained serious injuries;
lA body was found on the corner of Cambridge and Caxton streets on August 3;
lA homeless man was found dead in Station Street on August 2;
lA homeless man was found dead in Currie Street outside Norman’s Deli in Quigney in July;
lIn June, a man was found dead in Drury Lane; and
lA man who was assaulted in Albert Street earlier this year, later died in hospital.
Homeless man Ndimphiwe Nqabeni, 32, said yesterday that the murder of his friend in Station Street had forced him and other homeless people to move down the street to sleep closer to the railway police station.
“We are not safe here, so we sleep next to the police station because no one is going to kill us right in front of the police,” Nqabeni said.
The metro is planning to install 13 CCTV cameras in the CBD. City officials said it was a “priority”.
In April last year, the metro announced it was planning to install the cameras.
City murder may have been caught on CCTV
That camera belongs to the ever-watchful, fortressed South African Reserve Bank (SARB) building between Cambridge and Station streets.
Police would not say if they had viewed the bank’s footage.
Another killing could have been caught on cameras at the City Hall – but these were switched off.
The Saturday Dispatch visited all seven murder scenes yesterday to see if there were CCTV cameras nearby.
At five of the murder spots there was some dried blood, but no cameras.
Buffalo City Metro spokesman Keith Ngesi yesterday confirmed that cameras at the City Hall were dysfunctional because of renovations.
He said the CCTV operating room inside the building, and the cameras, had to be disconnected until the renovations were completed.
The August 2 murder of a homeless man in Station Street took place under the eye of the Reserve Bank’s revolving CCTV camera.
The August 5 murder took place in Buxton Street in front of the two city hall CCTV cameras, only metres from the Hawks’ offices.
The Saturday Dispatch understands crime intelligence officers visited the city hall following the August 5 murder to view CCTV footage, but were told the cameras were off due to “routine maintenance”.
Provincial police spokesman Lieutenant Khaya Tonjeni was not willing to comment on the matter saying “viewing of footage is a detective competence and cannot be discussed in the media”.
Tonjeni said the murders had sparked a police alert in the CBD, which had resulted in the establishment of “a task team that comprises members of the Hawks, crime intelligence and local detectives to investigate the murders”.
Police night patrols in the CBD had also been upped.
“We have also approached the department of social development to see if they can assist in providing temporary night shelter for homeless people,” he said.
“We would also like to encourage members of the public to come forward with information that can assist the task team in its efforts and investigation.
“All information received will be taken seriously and verified for validity as part of the investigation,” he said.
The murder of homeless people in the CBD this year rose to seven this week, following the discovery of the body of a homeless man, known only as Ludwe, on Thursday.
Deaths of homeless men in the CBD this year include:
lA homeless man was found beaten to death in the CBD on August 5. Another victim survived, but sustained serious injuries;
lA body was found on the corner of Cambridge and Caxton streets on August 3;
lA homeless man was found dead in Station Street on August 2;
lA homeless man was found dead in Currie Street outside Norman’s Deli in Quigney in July;
lIn June, a man was found dead in Drury Lane; and
lA man who was assaulted in Albert Street earlier this year, later died in hospital.
Homeless man Ndimphiwe Nqabeni, 32, said yesterday that the murder of his friend in Station Street had forced him and other homeless people to move down the street to sleep closer to the railway police station.
“We are not safe here, so we sleep next to the police station because no one is going to kill us right in front of the police,” Nqabeni said.
The metro is planning to install 13 CCTV cameras in the CBD. City officials said it was a “priority”.
In April last year, the metro announced it was planning to install the cameras.
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