Extortion link as men from Glebelands hostel shot

A MAN has been killed and another is in a critical condition after they were shot while walking back to Block 54 at the notorious Glebelands Hostel in uMlazi last week.

This came days before the trial was set to begin of eight men widely known as the “Glebelands Eight”, who are accused of running a crime syndicate that included hitmen for hire at the hostel.

According to Vanessa Burger, an independent community activist for human rights and social justice, there have been five murders at the hostel this year. In total, though, 131 deaths directly related to the criminal activities of the syndicate have been recorded since March 2014.

Burger said 122 of these were gun-related murders and, for the same period, 107 attempted murders were recorded.

“Violence has dropped by almost 60% at Glebelands since the ‘Glebelands Eight’ were arrested,” she said.

According to community sources, the men who were shot on Friday refused to give money to people who recently tried to extort from residents in Block 54.

They had reportedly been returning to Glebelands after drawing money at MegaCity Mall.

“It has been proven time and again that whenever money is extorted from poor hostel dwellers, death will surely follow,” said Burger.

Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said the two men were at a traffic light in uMlazi at 8pm when they were shot.

“A 30-year-old male was fatally shot, another male sustained gunshot wounds and was taken to hospital for medical attention,” said Mbele.

Burger said the ringleaders allegedly behind the latest extortion had been identified to the police and their full names and addresses had been provided.

The activist said extortion victims had reported a new modus operandi being used to collect money to prevent the organisers from being directly implicated.

“Residents at the targeted blocks receive a letter pushed under the door instructing them to collect money (in this instance R80) from all residents by a specific date.

“They are told that once they have collected the money someone whom they do not know will fetch the funds from them,” said Burger.

She said it has been alleged that people from the surrounding informal settlements or even further afield were being used for this purpose.

The trial of the “Glebelands Eight” will be heard in the Pietermaritzburg High Court today.