Shop owner found dead in a shipping container in Durban

A shop owner was found dead in a shipping container in Magwaveni township in oThongathi on Monday afternoon. Picture: Reaction Unit SA

A shop owner was found dead in a shipping container in Magwaveni township in oThongathi on Monday afternoon. Picture: Reaction Unit SA

Published Sep 19, 2023

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A 30-year-old shop owner was found dead in his business operating from a shipping container in Magwaveni township in oThongathi on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast.

The incident took place on Monday evening.

Prem Balram from Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) said their response centre received a call from a resident at around 7.28pm.

“According to the caller, a single gunshot was heard at a general dealer operating from a shipping container. The caller believed that the owner had been shot,” Balram said.

“Reaction Officers were dispatched and on arrival discovered a private security company in attendance.”

Balram said the body of the businessman was located in a pool of blood inside the shipping container.

“The Tongaat [SA Police Service] SAPS arrived shortly thereafter and utilised a bolt cutter to cut a lock and enter the premises. Upon examination, the deceased was found to have sustained a gunshot wound to his neck.”

Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nqobile Gwala said Tongaat police is investigating a case of murder after a 30-year-old man was allegedly shot and killed at Magwaveni Township in Tongaat.

“It is alleged that the victim was shot while he was inside his tuckshop. The motive for the killing is unknown.”

There have been a number of shooting incidents in the Durban area over the last few weeks.

Last week, two businessmen were shot and killed in the Durban central business district (CBD). The businessmen were operating an import and export businessman.

Garrith Jamieson from ALS Paramedics said they were notified of a shooting incident on Hunter Road in the Durban CBD on September 13.

“On arrival they found that the SAPS were on scene and [the police] had closed off the road. Paramedics were shown to two men who lay meters apart,” Jamieson said.

No arrests have been in the double murder.

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