By Celani Sikhakhane
KwaMashu Hostel, known as eziMpohlweni (the Bachelors), is not where most people would think of spending a weekend.
It is a notorious haven for hardened criminals who rob and kill people in Durban.
The residents don’t trust each other, and violence is common.
Every man in the hostel has at least one gun.
And they strongly believe in the power of traditional healers and their powerful muthi, including the herbs that boost their sex lives.
I spent a weekend trying to understand what it is like to live there and learn more about the men who call it home.
I shared drinks and food with the residents, but they were wary of strangers and did not reveal much.
Visitors to the hostel like me are checked out carefully, with residents demanding to know where they’re from and why they’re there.
The hostel is a haven for hitmen. Some of them told Scrolla.Africa – anonymously, of course – that it was the only place where they felt safe, because even the police were scared to enter and search the building.
“I don’t want to leave this place because I might be arrested if I dare to go outside the hostel,” said one hitman.
In May, Scrolla.Africa reported how gangsters were evicting women from the hostel whose husbands had passed away. The hostel was converted into family units in the early days of democracy to allow men to stay with their families.
On 5 August last year, we reported that a raid at the hostel uncovered a deadly criminal operation where ammunition manufacturing machines and bullets worth millions of rands were recovered.
Development projects in Durban, like the new stadium, are at a standstill because contractors fear for their safety from hitmen-for-hire based at the notorious hostel.
“We have several projects here that are on hold just because those who won the tender are scared to come and start their work,” said one Durban resident who wished to remain anonymous.
“We have a dam that was supposed to be fixed three years ago, but to this day, the project has not started. This is because the contractors fear the hitmen who want their share of the money from the projects. Because if they don’t get it, they’ll kill you.”
Most of the hostel’s residents come from rural parts of KwaZulu-Natal and seek job opportunities in Durban. Those unable to find employment often turn to crime.
Last year, police met with traditional leaders to resolve the hostel’s criminality.
But, by all accounts it has not been successful.
Pictured above: KwaMashu Hostel is a haven for hitmen – these are the beds used by hostel dwellers, and it’s similar to the room where I spent two nights at the hostel.
Source: Celani Sikhakhane
