Residents are living in fear after the violent deaths of four women. Amanda Khoza and Nompilo Mchunu tell their stories
|||Residents of KwaMashu, northern Durban, are reeling after a spate of violent murders of women in the past two months.
Robbery was not the motive in any of the cases and residents suspect a serial killer.
Ward 41 councillor Lucky Mdlalose said the community was living in fear, but he urged community members not to panic.
“Some are saying there is a serial killer, but we are not sure if it's one person or a group,” he said.
People recently held a meeting where it was agreed street committees would be revived to identify people who don’t belong in the community
“We are launching a campaign, which will have the name Siyabaphelezela, where we have identified all the hot spots in the area and we will be escorting community members in the mornings and afternoons to ensure that they get to work and return home safely,” said Mdlalose.
He also said the community had also asked police to conduct foot patrols to make community members feel safe.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Vincent Mdunge said: “There is no serial killer on the loose because there is no match among the incidents, but we are taking the cases very seriously.”
The police have intensified policing in the area to safeguard the community, he said.
Mdunge also urged the community not to panic, saying the police have everything under control.
Despite these reassurances, residents are concerned that, with most of the victims women, their wives, girlfriends, daughters and sisters are no longer safe.
Below we tell the stories of the victims, whose violent deaths and - in some cases - rapes have shattered the lives of their families. - Sunday Tribune
amanda.khoza@inl.co.za