Police minister Cele visits Pinetown arrest scene

PINECREST Shopping Centre shoppers’ peaceful browse was dramatically interrupted when a squad of policemen wearing bullet-proof vests stormed the mall on Friday afternoon.

The drama, resembling a scene from an action movie according to a shopper, has not been linked to the shooting at a Durban taxi rank, also on Friday.

The Durban taxi rank shooting, splashed across social media platforms, left two people seriously injured and one dead.

Sixteen security officers from a private company were arrested in Scott Road, Pinetown and a total of 17 firearms were seized including nine rifles, a shotgun and seven pistols.

The seriousness of this incident prompted Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, to visit the Pinetown area on Saturday to inspect the area where the gunmen were arrested and assess the situation.

KZN police spokesman, Col Thembeka Mbhele, said a group of heavily armed gunmen travelling in a Toyota Quantum minibus taxi stormed the taxi rank in Brook Street, Durban on Friday afternoon.

“They fired multiple gunshots and sped off. Three people were seriously injured and taken to hospital for medical attention and a 56-year-old victim later died.

The suspects fled towards Pinetown and a police officer from the Pinetown Task Team spotted their vehicle in Chelsea Avenue, New Germany and gave chase.

“The suspects opened fire at him and he retaliated. No injuries were sustained and the suspects abandoned their vehicle and ran into a building in Scott Road, Pinetown. The National Intervention Unit were called in and the 16 suspects were arrested,” explained Mbhele.

ALSO READ: Police arrest six robbery suspects in Pinetown CBD

The gunmen were charged for murder and attempted murder including shooting at a police officer in Pinetown. They will also be charged for illegal possession of firearms.

“The case has since been assigned to the Provincial Task Team for further investigation. The firearms will be subjected to ballistic testing to ascertain if they were used in any other pending cases,” said Mbhele.

Pinetown Cluster communications officer, Capt Bongumusa Manqele, denied reports that the suspects were hiding in Pinecrest.

“The vehicle was spotted in Chelsea Avenue and the suspects were chased and found in Scott Road,” he said.

Pinetown incident remains a mystery

While SAPS has not linked the Pinecrest Centre incident with the Durban taxi rank shooting, a shopper who saw the police at Pinecrest, believes the two are connected.

“What I saw that day was like a clip from a movie. Those police knew what they were looking out for and to me it appeared they were searching for armed and dangerous suspects.”

The shopper said she was coming out of the ladies room with her five-year-old niece when she saw an armed officer coming up the escalators.

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“While we were still shocked to see him, a second officer and then a third followed. They were not disturbing anyone but they kept looking around. A fourth officer arrived with a radio and was also searching around, and then more officers wearing bullet-proof vests came up the escalators.”

The shopper said everyone stood still in the mall’s corners and some shops shut their doors as everyone was fearing for their lives.

“This went on for about 15 to 20 minutes. I did not hear any gunshots, what I picked up was that they were really professional and knew exactly what they were looking for,” said the shopper.

Security at taxi rank to be investigated

Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA) CEO, Manabela Chauke, has strongly condemned the attitude of security officers involved in the shooting episode at Brook Street Taxi Rank in Durban.

Chauke said the incident is an embarrassment to the private security industry as a whole and does not represent the conduct befitting that of security officers.

He commended the South African Police Services for arresting the 16 suspects working for a security company.

Chauke said the act of lawlessness and criminality by any private security service provider is not going to be allowed. Security officers are bound by a code of conduct that, among others, provides that, ‘A private security provider may not infringe any rights of a person as provided for in the Bill of Rights.’

“The code of conduct further, enjoins security officers to act in a manner that promotes good discipline in the private security industry. Security officers are the first line of defence when it comes to the protection of property and person, and are expected to uphold the law of the country.

“Our investigation team has begun investigating this incident to deal authoritatively with the security company and the security officers involved. We will get to the bottom of this act of lawlessness and bring those involved to book.”

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