Tyron Naidoo’s home of 30 years in Newlands Avenue, Western Extension, Benoni became a war zone on December 7 when he was accused of harbouring illegal nationals and selling drugs, allegedly by members of the Benoni Taxi Association (BTA).

According to Naidoo, taxi drivers descended on his home on December 2 under the guise of the organisation’s recently instituted ‘Operation Clean-up’, demanding access to his property in search of drugs and illegal nationals.

“My 76-year-old mother and 12-year-old nephew were in the house and I denied them entry until members of the SAPS were present to escort two drivers through the property,” says Naidoo.

“A search was completed and nothing untoward was found. The leader of the group threatened to return.”

On December 7 at 09:30, it is alleged that about 100 drivers returned to the Naidoo residence, this time armed with planks, crowbars, rods and firearms, and again demanded access to the property.

“They forced our gates open and proceeded to fire shots through the front door,” he says.

“We barricaded ourselves inside as the drivers smashed windows, pulled down the carport and even tried removing the burglar proofing from the walls.”

What transpired in the next five hours, Naidoo described as ‘being trapped in a war zone’.

“My mother and nephew were hysterical as we pleaded for the onslaught to end,” he says.

“We were using mattresses and wardrobes to block the windows – anything possible to prevent our attackers from entering the house.”

Naidoo claims that numerous calls were made to the 10111 for assistance but no response units arrived.

At about 15:00 the assailants allegedly gained access to the home and started looting by loading appliances and groceries into vehicles that were parked in the street.

“We were barricaded in a room but could hear taps being ripped from the walls while some of the men were trying to lift the sheeting off the roof to get in through the ceiling,” says Naidoo.

“They were threatening to set the house on fire, with us inside.”

He explains that out of desperation and fear he opened the bedroom door to release one of his three pit bulls.

The animals had been held inside the house for their own safety.

“Zeus immediately started after the assailants. They shot him seven times,” says an emotional Naidoo.

Shortly after the shooting, Naidoo claims that he heard someone ordering the drivers to leave the scene.

“Everything went quiet. Once we were certain that it was safe to leave the room, we removed the barricades,” he says.

“Our home was in ruins; water was gushing from the broken taps and whatever was not looted lay on the floor.”

Mindfully moving debris from the floor, Naidoo pointed to splatters of blood where his beloved dog had been shot.

“My boy died trying to protect us from a nightmare situation.”

Godfrey Matebula, secretary of BTA, confirmed that a complaint regarding the incident had been received and that investigations into the matter are being conducted.

“Our clean-up operation is geared at targeting drug dealers as well as users as the information received indicates that they are responsible for many crimes being committed in the CBD as well as the four major taxi ranks,” says Matebula.

“To date, our operations have yielded great successes with commuters feeling safer within the CBD. The operation has further ignited an economic revival in the area.”

Matebula says that the association cannot confirm whether its members were involved in the Newlands Avenue attack, but that it does not condone any form of criminality perpetrated by its members.

Captain Nomsa Sekele, spokesperson for the Benoni Police Station, says SAPS management does not support the BTA initiative and has cautioned its representatives that no member should be encouraged to take the law into their own hands.

“Community involvement as well as that of BTA and its members is vital in the fight against crime but needs to remain within the limitations of the law,” she says.

“We cannot and will not tolerate anyone being attacked, threatened or their properties being damaged based on hearsay.”