Durban - The killing of a controversial Durban metro police senior manager triggered widespread celebrations in the corridors of the unit on Wednesday, with some describing it as “good riddance”.
Innocent Chamane, the support services manager, was gunned down as he arrived home in KwaNgcolosi, near Hillcrest, on Tuesday evening.
While some celebrated, privately and on social media platforms, others reacted with shock and horror.
The Mercury spoke to a number of officers in the unit and most “welcomed” the death.
Over the past few years Chamane has been embroiled in a series of controversies and was viewed as the unit’s “public enemy number one”.
One senior metro policeman said there were two different reactions to his death.
“As Christians and morally correct, some abhorred what happened; then there are others with the attitude of ‘good riddance’,” he said. This was because Chamane had “upset lots of people … sorry to say, he wasn’t a very nice person”.
The municipality issued a statement on Wednesday sending condolences to Chamane’s family. It did not contain any details except to confirm the murder and that “circumstances surrounding the incident are unknown” and were being investigated.
The metro policeman added that Chamane’s “brazen” attitude “affected metro police tremendously”.
“Dictatorship was imposed, aligned to politics,” he said.
A second policeman, who also asked for his identity to be withheld, was scathing in his criticism. He accused Chamane of “putting people in hospital, abusing dogs and horses (in the dog and mounted patrol units) without consequences”.
“He refused to buy shampoo and food for the metro dogs and he stopped the grooming of the horses,” said the policeman.
He was sure that whoever killed Chamane had “had enough” and decided to take the law into his own hands.
“He stopped a salary of one member for 12 months and the member lost his wife until a new HR manager intervened. The member’s fault was refusing redeployment to another department,” he said.
He described “happiness and joy among ordinary members that you have never seen before at the metro police. I saw members celebrating”. The only people sad about his death were his “henchmen”, he said.
A third policeman, who also requested anonymity, said Chamane had started “personally gunning” for everyone who testified against him during a recent internal disciplinary hearing.
When The Mercury arrived at Chamane’s home on Wednesday, several cars were parked in the yard, while an unidentified woman sobbed uncontrollably at the corner of the house. A young woman who had been consoling her went to sit a few metres away and broke into tears. A relative said the family would not speak to the media. She asked that The Mercury call later, but attempts to contact them later failed.
Police spokesman Jay Naicker confirmed the incident, saying Hillcrest police were investigating a case of murder.
“It is alleged that yesterday, at about 7.45pm, at Bhekisisa Road near Inanda Dam, an off-duty metro policeman, Chamane, 52, was shot by unknown suspects in front of his house.” He said Chamane had sustained wounds to the head and body.
“The motive is unknown. No arrests have been made at this stage.”
A metro police source said Chamane joined the unit in 2011 as support services manager. – Additional reporting by Zipho Biyela
THE TROUBLE WITH CHAMANE
Chamane has been in the news many times over the past few years.
November 13, 2013: The Mercury.
Metro police reported to be in a “shambles”, with the department’s shooting range closed, mounted police no longer with groomsmen for horses, and food for about 40 police dogs not ordered on time. Unions and officers complained new uniforms were not issued.
December 2013: Sunday Tribune.
Confusion over an order that specialised police dogs injured, or too old to work, should be put down, outraging dog handlers and animal rights activists. The order reportedly came from Innocent Chamane.
December 2013: The Mercury.
Samwu calls for Chamane to be axed because of equipment and staff shortages at roadblocks during the festive season.
January 2014: Sunday Tribune.
Union officials and politicians call for the resignation of metro police head Eugene Nzama and Chamane. This was after a rift between officers and management led to the deliberate spoiling of more than 60% of all handwritten fines in the past year, and the loss of R30 million for the city.
January 2014: Sunday Tribune.
The Sunday Tribune reported Chamane signed a dismissal letter for Nkosinathi Mazibuko, former Safer Cities manager, stating he had been found guilty of “insubordination, poor performance and being absent from work”. Mazibuko, now dead, claimed he was targeted because of his stand against corruption.
January 2015: Isolezwe.
Isolezwe reported Chamane was hauled before a disciplinary hearing on a litany of charges. The municipality did not divulge details.
June 2015: Sunday Tribune.
Dog unit handlers reportedly unable to perform their duties because they did not have enough dogs. Officers insisted Chamane was to blame. The unit refused to accept donations of dogs. – Sihle Manda
The Mercury
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