Durban - A Wild West shoot-out outside a Durban supermarket on Friday afternoon has left a Newlands West father dead and a 70-year-old granny wounded.
The families of both victims are now calling for an independent police investigation to probe who shot their loved ones – was it police or the robbers?
The robbers made off with R150 000 in cash and cellphones from the Spar, in Inanda Road, Newlands West.
More than 20 spent cart-ridges were found at the scene.
Mahalingum Pillay, 57, of Bishopsfield Close, was returning to his car after getting a haircut when he was caught in the crossfire. He died in hospital on Saturday morning after being shot in the stomach.
Hillgrove granny Ambie Pillay, 70, was waiting at a bus stop outside the supermarket, when a bullet struck her thigh.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesman Captain Thulani Zwane said it was unclear who had shot both victims.
Investigations were continuing and a manhunt was under way for the robbers, he said.
The car used by the gang and two R-5-rifles were recovered.
He said the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) were also investigating. Its spokesman, Moses Dlamini, could not be reached for comment.
A police source said that three robbers had allegedly held up the manager of Spar at around noon on Friday.
The source said: “The suspects fired a shot outside the store. This alerted the store manager who was locked inside his office. When he opened the door, two of the suspects stormed the office.”
They demanded cash and cellphones, the source said.
“The took R150 000 cash from the safe and several cellphones from staff and customers before fleeing.”
A police van patrolling in the area was alerted to the robbery.
“As the suspects ran towards their getaway vehicle – a red Golf 4 – which was in the parking lot, the police arrived. They opened fire on police and a gunfight ensued.”
The source said the robbers ran towards the main road, where they hijacked a blue Opel Corsa and made their getaway.
Speaking from her home yesterday, Ambie Pillay said she was lucky to be alive.
She was standing at the bus stop waiting for a ride home when the shoot-out started.
Gunshots
“I could hear the gunshots. The police were shooting opposite the road from where I was standing. They did not shout for us to take cover or warn us of danger.”
She said she suddenly felt a warm, burning sensation on her leg and someone shouted she had been shot.
“I was terrified. The workers from the nearby garage came to help me. The carried me to safety and called the ambulance.”
Pillay’s son Mervin criticised the police, accusing them of shoddy investigation and failing to contact the family immediately after the shooting.
“They only spoke to my mother after the other man died. Then it became a very serious investigation. Before that we never heard a word.”
He said police needed to be accountable for what had happened.
“They should not have opened fire in a public place. It is unacceptable. It must now be fully investigated, who shot my mother and killed the other man.”
Mahalingum’s brother, Masla Murugan, said his brother had gone for a haircut at the centre.
“He was walking towards his car when he was shot. I cannot understand how police can open fire in a public place on a busy Friday afternoon. Something like this was bound to happen.
He said Mahalingum’s wife Maliga, a teacher, and their daughters Sashni, 28, and Shanel, 24, were battling to come to terms with their father’s death.
He said Pillay’s neighbour, who was at the supermarket at the time, alerted them to the shooting.
“My brother underwent a four-hour operation. But he died around 2am on Saturday.”
Murugan said they were calling for an independent police investigation.
“We want answers – who shot and killed our brother? Crime in this country is out of control. His killers cannot get away. Someone must take responsibility for what happened.”
He said Pillay’s funeral service would take place on Wednesday, after the postmortem was completed.
“The bullet they remove from my brother will hopefully give us the answers we need, ” he said.
Daily News