Durban - A walk to borrow money to buy maize meal saved Thobani Mhlongo’s life as gunmen entered his house and shot his four relatives, execution style, a minute after he walked out on Sunday evening.
Mhlongo, 21, said he had walked a short distance out of his shared house at the KwaMashu Hostel when a group of men came by. He said he did not pay much attention to the strangers, but was shocked to hear multiple gunshots coming from where he had left his brother and three relatives.
“I was going to a relative to borrow money to buy maize meal. Had I not left the house I would be counted among the dead,” he said.
Also read: 4 killed execution-style at KZN hostel
The shooters killed Mhlongo’s brother Mzokhona Mhlongo, 23, his cousins Sbekezelo Ntshangase, Khanyisani Shandu, 25, and Zamokwakhe Mhlongo, 35 who were all from Empangeni.
“When I heard the shots I ran as fast as I could calling for help. I later came back and found that my brothers had been shot,” he said.
Independent Media journalists arrived at the victims’ house to find a contingent of police officers collecting statements.
Inside the house the floor was wet with water used to clean blood.
IFP local leaders arrived and said that the deceased were party activists.
Murders at the notorious hostel were seemingly no longer a shock to residents, as one them calmly said: “I heard about it, but it is nothing new because such things happen very often.”
Mhlongo’s elder brother Kwenza Mhlongo, who lived a few blocks away from the scene, was in his relatives’ house about 30 minutes before the shootings.
“We all had just returned from Bridge City where we did some shopping. I stayed for about 20 minutes before I left. I later received a call informing me about the shooting,” he said.
He said he rushed back to the house but onlookers prevented him from going inside.
“They told me that they feared that some of the shooters might be there. They also told me that my wounded brother (Zamokwakhe) tried to get up as the attackers were leaving, but one attacker went back into the house saying that dog is not dead, before finishing him off,” said Kwenza.
A neighbour said she did not hear the noise from gunfire as her radio was on very loud.
“I was shocked,” she said. “I last spoke to the deceased in the morning. These boys were very nice and friendly. They would help me. They would apologise wherever I shouted at them for making a noise,” she said.
Police spokesman Major Shooz Magudulela said three men had been shot in the back of their heads while another one was shot in the face. ”The motive is unknown at this stage,” he said.
IFP co-ordinator in Ward 39, Sipho Nzungu, said the death had “robbed the IFP of valuable and active members”.
The Mercury