Lawyer gunned down
Shot eight times in his vehicle Neighbours fear it may be a hit
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ADURBAN criminal lawyer has been gunned down outside his La Lucia home. Thamsanqa Wilson Ndwandwe, 46, a father of three, was shot eight times in his driveway.
When The Independent on Saturday arrived at the Ndwandwes’ luxury home yesterday, several cars belonging to family and friends were parked outside. The house was filled with mourners, and the immediate family members were locked in a meeting over funeral arrangements, and were not able to speak to the media directly.
However, according to a source close to the family, the lawyer had just returned home on Thursday at about 7.30pm and was about to pass through the driveway gates, when shots rang out.
“While sitting in one of the rooms inside the house, I heard the gate open. I then heard the first gunshot. I quickly went outside and heard more gunshots being fired.
“I saw a white hatchback vehicle flee. I quickly ran out to see if he was alive but he was not breathing. I called the ambulance and the paramedics confirmed he was dead,” the source said.
At the driveway gates, police circled the spots where bullets had fallen, and Ndwandwe’s bullet-ridden vehicle was parked in the yard. The driver’s side window had been shattered by the bullets.
Ndwandwe was originally from Nongoma, and worked on criminal cases.
Calls to his practice went unanswered.
KZN SAPS spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbhele said police were investigating a case of murder.
“The man was shot while in his vehicle. We found more than five empty cartridges at the scene. The suspects were driving a white Polo vehicle. The motive for the shooting is unknown, and nothing was stolen,” she said.
After the shooting, the Durban North and uMhlanga crisis team assisted family members at the home.
The source said they were not certain why Ndwandwe had been killed in such a manner.
However, some comments on online neighbourhood watch groups point towards a possible “hit”.
A neighbour from an adjacent street, Tash Reddy, who heard the gunshots, said: “We were all standing outside because we had people over, and then we heard eight loud bangs. We ran to the wall to see what had happened. A few minutes later Marshall Security came, and on the community chat it said the guy shot was from Saxon Crescent. Everyone thought he was hijacked but my husband said a hijacker won’t shoot eight times.”
Ndwandwe leaves behind a wife and three children.
Blue Security community and media liaison officer Andreas Mathios said the man had arrived at his Saxon Crescent home just before 7.40pm and was sitting in his vehicle waiting for his gate to open when a gunman appeared at the driver’s door.
“The gunman opened fire and repeatedly shot the man before jumping into a getaway vehicle and fleeing. Blue Security clients heard the gunshots ring out in the neighbourhood and pressed their panic buttons, and we responded,” Mathios said.
“Unfortunately, the man had been shot at close range and paramedics declared him dead at the scene,” Mathios said.
Kyle van Reenen of Crisis Medical said when they arrived, the man was seated in a SUV, having suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
“Unfortunately there was nothing paramedics could do to assist the man and he was declared deceased,” he said.
Mathios warned residents to always be aware of their surroundings when arriving home.
“Never drive into your driveway and then look for your gate remote. If you feel uncomfortable rather drive past and notify your family to press the panic button or you can contact your security company or alert SAPS 10111,” Mathios said.