Accidents.co.za | Discussion, Prevention, Investigation and Response

A forty eight year street vender has been shot at the corners of Victoria and Dr Yusuf Da Doo ( Grey Street ) in the busy Durban CBD area this afternoon.

ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene to find the patient lying on the pavement in a pool of blood and unresponsive. Paramedics assessed the patient had found that he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his body. CPR and advanced life support intervention was started but unfortunately all the effects of the paramedics trying to save him, the patient died on the scene due to his fatal injuries.

It is unclear why the man was shot but a suspect has been detained by police for further questioning.

Derrick Banks
ER24

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• Firearms, Accidents and Road Safety

ER24 paramedics were called to the Lower Marine Parade beachfront for a man that had been shot. When they arrived, they found the man who is believed to be in his fourties, lying face down in the sand. He had sustained what appeared to be a gun shot wound to his left chest.

After the initial assessment, it was determined that the wound to his chest was fatal, and he was declared deceased on the scene. It seems that there was a witness to the incident, and the Durban Metro police obtained statements to investigate all possibilities.

It is unclear as to whether the man’s family has been informed of this tragedy.

Vanessa Jackson
ER24

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• Firearms, Accidents and Road Safety

The department of police on Friday denied claims by a gun owners’ group that it was “barring” blacks from owning guns.

“The ministry dismisses such bias assertions with contempt. The Firearms Control Act promotes responsible firearm ownership, irrespective of whether you are black or white,” spokesperson Zweli Mnisi said in a statement.

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa established a review and monitoring team, located under the secretariat of police, which assessed the firearms registry process nationally in August last year.

He said the secretariat began a consultative process with all firearms associations and urged them to make submissions towards the Firearms Control Act.

The consultation was also extended during the Firearms Amnesty campaign which ended on April 11.

“It is a fact that the Black Gun Owners’ Association has not submitted any proposals or input but instead is taking an ill-informed legal stance to address such an issue.

“Our doors are still widely open and we therefore still urge them, albeit through a public platform, to make the submissions to this office.”

The association on Friday announced it would sue the government for R3.2bn to compensate for jobs lost since the Firearms Control Act came into effect six years ago.

At a media briefing in Johannesburg, association chairperson Abios Khoele told journalists the legislation had resulted in 800 gun shops closing down, 10 000 lost jobs, and 40 000 blacks being refused firearms since 2004.

Mthethwa said in the statement: “Perhaps instead of marginalising themselves along racial barriers, this organisation needs to look at ways on integrating their programmes with government’s.

“As a departure point, we urge them to support this ministry’s ongoing campaign of promoting awareness towards responsible firearms-ownership.”

- SAPA

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Firearms, Accidents and Road Safety

A thirty seven year old security guard is in a serious condition after been attacked by a suspect at the corners of Boshoff and Pietermaritz street in Pietermaritzburg busy CBD region this afternoon.

ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene and found the security guard seated on the pavement surrounded by a pool of blood by his feet. The patient had sustained serious stab wounds to both of his arms. Paramedics covered the wounds to help stop the bleeding. The patient had to have fluid replacement therapy to help with the blood loss. He was transported to Northdale Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

The patient was seated by the entrance to the underground taxi rank, when an argument broke out and the guard was stabbed by means of a broken glass bottle. The suspect ran away.

Derrick Banks

ER24

The police’s watchdog body is so concerned about officers who kill their wives and girlfriends with their state-issued guns that it has recommended forcing policemen to leave their weapons at work.

The Independent Complaints Directorate conducted a three-year study, the results of which were released last month. It revealed that 49 women romantically involved with police officers were killed by them between 2005 and 2007.

But not included in the report were the murders of 99 other police wives and girlfriends, in 2008 and 2009. Figures for 2010 will be released in September.

The directorate blamed the killings on stress, poor management support, financial problems, bad working conditions, uncertain futures – and easy access to guns.

In the report, former Independent Complaints Directorate head Karen McKenzie is quoted as saying: “I am concerned about the increase in femicides and domestic violence cases perpetrated by police officers.

“The SAPS are the custodians of the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act, but if they are not protecting and respecting their own partners or spouses, what of the women in the community they serve?”

The debate on the findings of the directorate’s report coincides with the revelation that a 41-year-old woman is living in fear of being killed by her former husband, a senior Bramley, Johannesburg, police officer.

The woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told of how he regularly punched and kicked her in front of neighbours.

“He beat me up, put his gun at my head and threatened to shoot me. People were scared because he had a gun. He assaulted me very badly and I had to go to a doctor,” she said.

Matters became worse when she divorced him and obtained a protection order. When he assaulted her again, she called for help but “instead of sending Tembisa police, they sent Bramley police, where he works”.

After a long battle to lay charges against him, nothing was done and she approached the Independent Complaints Directorate, which, she claims, has also done nothing to help her.

“I still haven’t been helped. Nothing happened. I’m still hiding. I’m scared. This man can come any time to kill me.”

Directorate spokesman Moses Dlamini would not comment on the woman’s case but said: “It’s a concern when police officers use their guns on their lovers instead of on criminals.”

Lisa Vetten, of the Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre to End Violence Against Women, agreed with the directorate’s research findings. Her own research found that men employed in the security industry were four times more likely to kill their partners than other men.

“The most obvious reason is that they are exposed to firearms. It’s a very serious concern. We have quite a lot of women clients who complain of police partners abusing them.”

Vetten said the threat of being killed by their police officer partners was a “daily reality” faced by many women.

The directorate’s report also recommends making commanding officers more accessible to staff with problems at home, help with financial problems, involving family members in counselling, transferring officers to stations closer to their families to reduce stress, and improving the employee assistance programme.

Vetten said: “We must look very carefully at the argument that police should not take service pistols home. Restricting guns could go a long way to curbing these murders.”

Gun Free SA’s Western Cape director, Natalie Jaynes, said: “The level of stress and trauma that police work under is great and they have no outlet to release it. A study has shown that women are more vulnerable to violence at home at the hands of their partners than in the streets. It makes it worse in the presence of guns.”

Police ministry spokesman Zweli Mnisi said the Independent Complaints Directorate had discussed the findings of its study with police management.

[Story by SIPHO MASONDO appeared on TimesLive]

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Firearms, Accidents and Road Safety

A 32yr old man has been shot and killed while on his way home from work in Kwadabeka this morning.

Discovery Medicopter Ground Support Unit was the first medical team to arrive on the scene and found the man lying in the road with family members standing around him. He had sustained a gunshot wound to his hand and chest. Paramedics started working on the man right away as he started to deteriorate on the scene. Unfortunately after a long battle the man was declared deceased on the scene due to possible internal injuries by the gunshot wound to his chest.

The necessary authorities will be investigating the incident further.

Derrick Banks
ER24

A 28yr old security guard is in a critical condition after been shot in the head while walking to the bank in Underberg this morning

Underberg protection along with EMRS arrived on the scene to find the security guard lying on the pavement in a pool of blood. He had sustained a gunshot wound to his head and in a critical condition. ER24 Advanced Life Support paramedics arrived on the scene to help stabilise the patient further. Advanced life support intervention was performed before he was air lifted to Pietermaritzburg Medi-Clinic in a critical but stable condition where trauma staff were waiting to take over treatment.

It is believed that the security guard was on his way to the bank with an undisclosed amount of money, when he was shot in the head and the suspects ran off with the money. The incident is being investigated further by the local authorities.

Derrick Banks
ER24

Durban police are investigating the death of a truck driver on the N2 south bound carriageway near Umgeni Road Bridge late last night.

The circumstances surrounding the man’s death are unclear. Paramedics were called to the scene to find the man lying motionless near his truck. He had sustained two stab wounds to the chest and was declared dead. He had succumbed to is injuries prior to the arrival of medics.

Police are investigating the incident.

A man to be in his early forty’s was found in the grass near Manor Soccer Fields this morning.

ER24 paramedic s were called to assess the patient. On arrival they found the patient was already deceased. He had sustained multiple stab wounds.

The motive for the stabbing is unclear but the necessary authorities were on the scene and would be investigating the incident.

Derrick Banks
ER24

Two people were shot and killed in Oliehout Road in Bonteheuwel.

The two male patients had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and were dead on arrival of ER24 paramedics.

A third patient was allegedly shot a couple of blocks away from the scene and is believed to be related to the same incident. It was reported that the person had sustained a gunshot wound to the leg and was in a stable condition being treated by Metro EMS.

The motive for the shooting is being investigated by police.

Tristan Wadeley

ER24