KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier Thami Ntuli has called for communities to help fight crime in the province, and even suggested the army may be needed in certain areas.
Ntuli’s comments come after seven members of one family were abducted from their home in Newark and killed this week.
Army needed in KZN?
Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to crime hotspots in Gauteng, North West and the Western Cape. The Eastern Cape was later added to the list.
Ntuli said the SANDF may need to be deployed in KZN as well.
“For places such as Point in Durban, maybe the deployment of an army is necessary. I am making a consideration of that call because we need to do something,” he said.
He also urged communities to report criminal activities to the police.
“Even some of the areas we are receiving information, people now are beginning to report things that were not reported in the past because of the call that we have made as government for collaboration, explaining to the people that we cannot address this problem if communities do not play their role.”
Watch: Ntuli speaks at family home of victims
Suspects arrested
Three suspects have since been arrested after the brutal crime.
KZN police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda says the victims were aged between 20 and 83.
“A total of 11 cellphones were found in possession of the suspects. He and his accomplices allegedly broke into the victims’ house, tied them up with a rope and one of them allegedly raped the 20-year-old woman before loading them onto a vehicle belonging to one of the victims, and drove to Melmoth, a distance of approximately 200km from the scene.
“Police also unearthed that the same suspect who raped the 20-year-old at the house, raped her again in Melmoth, before demanding banking details and Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) from three victims. After collecting the banking details, the suspects shot and killed three victims to death. The other four victims were brutally stabbed to death,” he said.
‘The perpetrators must rot in jail’
The premier visited the family home on Friday to pay his respects.
“We are here today to share our pain and support the family,” said Ntuli.
Ntuli said he hopes the suspects receive heavy sentences and are removed from society.
“The use of technology has delivered the results, and we were able to trace the movements of the suspects. Unfortunately, they were unable to find the family members alive. Our prayer is that the perpetrators must get a harsh sentence and rot in jail.”
He called the crimes against the family members “inhumane” and “senseless”.
“This was a cruel act of hatred toward the people of this province. We will work together to ensure that these acts towards our people are addressed,” said Ntuli.
