It was a morning of high drama in the Richards Bay inner city when gun-wielding assassins mowed down five people in a drive-by shooting.
According to bystanders, the unidentified gunmen accosted their intended targets before spraying them with bullets.
“Three of the deceased are car-wash attendants. We just heard gunshots and saw people falling on the ground,” explained one of the bystanders who witnessed the shooting.
“I think the killing was planned and they knew who their targets were.”
The witness said shoppers and stalls’ owners screamed and ran for cover as bullets flew in the heart of the inner city adjacent to a busy Checkers shopping centre.
“It’s an unfortunate incident that took place this morning,” said Major-General Sipho Ngubane, district police commissioner at King Cetshwayo municipality.
“We are told that about three gunmen came to this area and started shooting at the deceased. At this stage, we do not want to speculate as to the motive.”
Ngubane said the police have launched a manhunt and are compiling statements from the people who witnessed the shooting.
UMhlathuze mayor Xolani Ngwezi said the shooting happened at a time when the city had hatched a crime-prevention strategy.
The strategy involves the installation of technology-driven crime-prevention measures across the city to deal with brazen criminality.
Ngubane explained: “Unfortunately, this has happened right in the CBD [central business district], but we that police have put all efforts to arrest [people behind] these incidents.
“In the last eight months, we have not had incidents of this nature because of the proactive work by the police.
“We discourage people from making any speculation which might compromise the integrity of the investigation.”
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