KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport‚ Community Safety and Liaison‚ Willies Mchunu‚ has expressed grave concern and disappointment over the ongoing killings at Glebelands hostel near Durban‚ following the murder of two more people this weekend.

Two males‚ Bongani Hlophe and Bandile Ngcobo‚ were murdered on Saturday night in Block 52 at the hostel.

More than 40 people have been reported to have been killed in clashes at the hostel since the beginning of last year.

Mchunu on Sunday described the situation at the hostel as unacceptable‚ adding that extraordinary interventions were required to end the ongoing violence.

The latest deaths occurred barely a month after two hostel residents‚ William Mthembu and a friend‚ were ambushed and killed in Montclair shopping Centre.

Police have maintained a high presence at the hostel amid renewed tensions and have also initiated a high level investigation into the latest killings.

Commenting on the latest attack‚ Mchunu‚ called for calm and vowed that the government and the police would do all they could to resolve the Glebelands hostel situation.

“We must all work together to find mechanisms to address the situation at Glebelands hostel. The ongoing killings of residents are totally abhorrent and must now come to an end.

“As the government we are applying a multi-prong strategy to address the situation. This includes deploying various units within the law enforcement agencies‚ facilitating dialogue and improving safe and security measures at the hostel‚” Mchunu said.

He added that police had made a breakthrough in the Mthembu case on Sunday morning when they arrested another male suspect at the hostel.

“He is also suspected to be linked in another murder case at the hostel. The man is due to appear at the UMlazi Magistrate’s Court tomorrow. Another suspect was arrested on the similar case a week ago.”