Durban tow truck companies say they are not afraid despite the recent drive-by shootings seemingly targeting their drivers.

A tow truck company owner operating in Chesterville, who asked to remain unnamed, said he was not scared as he knew who was targeted and why.

“Many people who get into this business use it as a means to clean ‘dirty money’ from their drug dealing activity,” he alleged.

He also added that boundary or turf wars among drivers could lead to violence.

“In KwaZulu-Natal we live by the gun, and because we have boundaries you cannot move from Marianhill and come into Chesterville because you would be entering into another two truck driver’s turf, and that causes issues.

“We also operate on a first-come-first-serve system. Issues always arise when the client chooses the cheapest option, which may had been the last to arrive on the scene.”

He said the boundaries were an agreement known by all companies even though it was not official.

An operator working in the Musgrave area said since they were not ‘accident runners’ and that they were not involved in turf wars.

Another operator, who had been working in Queensburgh for more than 10 years, said they had no fear as turf wars and gun violence was a regular occurrence in the Durban CBD.

Last week, the owner of a well-known towing company was wounded in a drive-by shooting outside a bakery in the Berea area.

Witnesses said a white Mercedes-Benz was driving along the road and a Toyota Etios drove up behind it, and someone from the Etios started shooting.

Emer-G-Med spokesperson Kyle van Reenen said medics were alerted to the shooting outside a well-known bakery in the Berea area.

“While mobile to the scene we were informed by members of local security as well as the South African Police Services who were first on the scene to cancel, as the victim who had been shot was rushed to hospital by members of the public,” Van Reenen said.

KZN Hawks and Durban Central detectives are investigating a case of attempted murder.

“The motive is unknown and no arrest has been made.”

In December, a tow truck driver and an e-hailing driver were also gunned down in Durban. Police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said police at Durban Central responded to a crime scene where two men were shot and killed on Sandile Thusi Road.

“It is reported that the two men, one of who was a tow truck driver, were standing outside their vehicles when two suspects approached them and opened fire on them with a high calibre rifle,” Naicker said.

“The motive for the shooting is yet to be established and a search for the suspects is underway.”

There have been many other cases involving gun violence in the Durban area for which the police have not identified a motive nor have they made arrests.

This week, two people were killed during a shooting in the Durban CBD on Tuesday afternoon. Emer-G-Med also responded to this incident, which took place in Grey Street in the Durban CBD.

“On arrival on scene two men, aged approximately 30 years old, were found with multiple gunshot wounds and were declared dead on arrival of paramedics,” said Van Reenen.

It is alleged that one of the deceased was shot at close range while the second was shot several times in the back while trying to flee.

KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said police in Durban are on the lookout for two suspects.

“Reports indicate that the two men were seated in a vehicle when they were approached by the two armed suspects who started shooting at them.

“The victims … succumbed to their injuries at the scene. The suspects are reported to have fled the scene in a grey Toyota Avanza with Durban registration plates.

“The motive for the killings has not been established and police investigations are continuing.”