Man delivering food shot and killed in Chatsworth for his cellphone
'He lost his life for a petty crime'
Paramedics at the scene of the shooting
Image: Supplied
A FOOD delivery driver in his 50s was shot twice and died at the gate of a home he was delivering food to in Chatsworth, last night.
Zain Kassim, chairperson of the Crossmoor Community Policing Forum (CPF) said the man was delivering a meal from Swaadisht in Croftdene to a family in Crossmoor when he was accosted by two men.
He said the deceased is from Montford.
“He got out of the vehicle at the home where the food was to be delivered, and he called out for the home owners. Two men on foot approached him. One of them was armed with a gun. He was shot twice. The suspects only fled with his cellphone.
“The food was still in the vehicle. It was a petty crime that he had lost his life for. The suspects ran into the transit camp on Crossmoor Drive.
“The man’s family came to the scene, and it was sad to witness their devastation. He lost his dad two years ago, and the family is still coming to terms with it,” Kassim added.
He said the transit camp was a haven for criminals coming into the Chatsworth area, leading to an increase in crime.
“It is a problematic area. Criminals from out of the area are camping there. They are using the place as a hideout. This is not the first incident where someone was held up with a firearm on Crossmoor Drive.
“There has been an increase in armed robberies, where people walking on the road had been robbed, and an increase in house robberies.
“The common complaint is that the suspects are two men on foot. We are concerned about this. The residents need to start taking a stand against crime by becoming more involved in neighbourhood watches. Crossmoor Drive is a growing concern and the support from residents is poor.
“Only a few residents come out and assist us in combating crime by participating in neighbourhood watches. If residents do their part to keep the area safe, we can turn things around.
“We cannot rely on law enforcement, who have a limited amount of manpower, to protect us 24 hours of the day,” Kassim said.
Claude Subramodey, spokesperson for Amawele Emergency Services, said the man sustained a gunshot wound to his abdomen and his right arm.
“When we got to the scene, the man was lying on the pavement. He had succumbed to his injuries before paramedics could arrive. We offer our condolences to his family,” he added.