Glebelands Hostel a 'reservoir of hitmen', corrupt cops
Durban – The Glebelands Hostel is a "reservoir of hitmen" and police are actively involved in violence there, the Moerane Commission of Inquiry heard on Monday.
"Anyone who wants someone [taken] out goes there. Glebelands has become a reservoir of hitmen," independent researcher and human rights activist Vanessa Burger said.
Hitmen were hired to kill taxi industry operators and politicians. The trend began when a ward councillor allegedly orchestrated the killings of block committee leaders. Block committee leaders represent the majority of ordinary hostel residents.
The hitmen "diversified from there", she said. Political leaders were commissioning hitmen to undertake a number of the political killings in the province.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Willies Mchunu established the commission in October last year, chaired by advocate Marumo Moerane, to investigate the high number of political killings in the province since 2011.