Key Points
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Durban hijacking tragedy cuts short a young couple’s future.
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Austin Khan was shot while buying bread for his fiancée.
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Family demands justice and stronger crime prevention in the area.
Just days after writing their wedding vows, Mikayla Chetty’s life changed forever. Her fiancé, Austin Marcus Khan, was shot and killed in an attempted hijacking.
He was only 28. The attack happened last Tuesday evening in Newlands West. He had stopped to buy bread on his way to see her.
Khan, a sales representative from Clare Estate, had just spoken to Chetty by phone. “I asked him to get bread,” she said. “Moments later, my phone rang again. This time, it brought heartbreak.”
Chetty rushed to the scene. She was the first to arrive and found Khan lying near his car. “When I saw him, a part of me died too,” she said.
The couple had spent four years together. Their friendship gradually turned into love. Eventually, they got engaged and planned to marry on July 5.
“We didn’t want anything fancy,” Chetty explained. “Just a home full of faith, love, and family.”
They had already booked a wedding venue, furnished their home, and planned a holiday for later this year. “Austin was everything a woman could pray for.
He was loving, protective, and truly selfless,” she said. “Now, all I want is justice.”
Family and friends mourn the man who always gave back
Mitchel Khan, Austin’s older brother, described him as warm, humble, and kind. “Austin helped everyone,” he said. “His funeral was packed. It showed how many people he touched.”
The family, now deeply heartbroken, struggles to make sense of the tragedy. “This attack was cruel,” Mitchel said. “We’ve lost someone irreplaceable. Mikayla lost her future husband. We are leaning on faith and hoping for justice.”
Durban hijacking tragedy fuels demand for stronger policing
Community leaders believe Khan’s murder reflects a growing safety crisis. According to Aadel Kara, spokesperson for the Newlands Community Police Forum, the area suffers from overcrowding and lacks police resources.
“Newlands East and West have over 102,800 residents,” Kara said. “But our police station still lacks enough officers and vehicles.”
Although community patrol groups try to help, Kara stressed they cannot replace official law enforcement. “We need more support. Our safety depends on it.”
Colonel Robert Netshiunda, spokesperson for the KwaZulu-Natal police, confirmed that a murder case has been opened. He said suspects ambushed Khan and demanded his car before shooting him.
Gareth Naidoo, spokesperson for KZN-VIP Protection Services, said the attackers drove a white Toyota Etios. “There were four armed men.
They fired several shots and fled the scene,” he said. “Austin was found unresponsive and critically injured. He died there.”
Now, Chetty and Khan’s loved ones wait for answers and hope the justice system will act. “Justice is the only thing we have left to hold onto,” Chetty said.
