Man killed in brazen Tongaat bar shooting

An ordinary Sunday afternoon sundowner session ended in murder after a group of men allegedly shot and killed a resident of Tongaat, north of Durban.

Police on Monday confirmed they had opened a murder investigation after 33-year-old Vikani Wiseman Khumalo was killed in a hail of bullets outside a bar in Arbee Drive.

Police spokesperson Colonel Thulani Zwane said: “We are investigating a case of murder. Police officers were patrolling when they heard gunshots. Once they got to the scene, they found Khumalo lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds.”

Netcare 911 spokesperson Shawn Herbst confirmed that paramedics attended the scene, saying two others were injured in the crossfire.

Speaking to News24 on Monday, a source who witnessed the incident said a group of men had walked up to Khumalo and started shooting.

“The guy ran, but as he was running, they were shooting at him as well. Seven or eight bullets hit him in his back. It was scary, like a Hollywood movie scene.”

He added: “It was a bit hectic, one of the stray bullets hit a patron on his hand. Luckily, he was not badly injured. It was just a flesh wound.”

The source, who works and lives in the area, said there had been another incident in the area on Friday, where one person was allegedly stabbed.

Details around this incident are still lacking and it is not known whether the two incidents are linked.

A nearby resident told News24 that many were afraid of violence in the area since the shooting.

“I am a bit scared, thinking you never know when this is happening again. If people can come so openly with guns, it is scary.”

Zwane said he could not immediately confirm the sources’ details because detectives were at a sensitive, early stage of investigations.

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